As the world emerges from the pandemic, the esports industry is also making plans to return to normalcy. According to a recent study by YouGov, approximately 33% of esports fans are comfortable attending live events in the near future. This finding coincided with the Call of Duty League’s decision to have all teams compete at a single location for the Major IV tournament in the previous month.
The study asked participants about their comfort level with attending live sporting events, providing six options on a sliding scale. Around 35% of respondents indicated that they were either very comfortable or fairly comfortable, while a similar percentage expressed some level of discomfort. Approximately 29% either didn’t know or found the question irrelevant.
An interesting observation from the YouGov data is the similarity in the comfort levels of esports fans compared to traditional sports fans. Both groups had a similar number of respondents comfortable with attending live events, with esports fans exhibiting slightly less skepticism. This should encourage organizers to gradually reintroduce live events to the public. Despite 40% of traditional sports fans feeling some degree of discomfort, arenas and stadiums have consistently witnessed sold-out crowds across the United States upon allowing fans back. It is reasonable to expect a similar positive response when esports tournaments resume in front of live audiences in the coming months, considering the relatively lower level of apprehension among esports fans.
From the data, it is clear that esports fans are eagerly awaiting the return of tournaments in arenas worldwide. While the number of participants comfortable and uncomfortable with attending live events is identical, even a small group can fill the stands, which has been observed in traditional sports events both during and outside of the pandemic. This indicates the passion and dedication of the esports fanbase. Only 14% of esports fans in the study expressed no interest in attending live events, with 15% unsure. The 15% figure is nearly double that of traditional sports fans who were undecided, demonstrating that esports fans are giving careful consideration to their choices.
An encouraging piece of advice for esports brands comes from Ben Paro, YouGov’s Sales Director, who remains optimistic about the return of live events based on the data. Paro suggests that including live sponsorship activations in the late-2021/22 strategy could be beneficial for brands, without necessarily needing to rush to be the first to reopen arenas. The data clearly indicates the interest among fans, and ensuring sensible and practical policies for fan attendance is crucial. It goes without saying that compliance with local health regulations is vital, and a cautious approach at the beginning will not adversely affect brands.
