Now playing on TV & OTT: Esports goes mainstream

People switching between their devices as well as different platforms, from linear TV to OTTs are likely to see a certain name repeatedly pop up. Nodwin Gaming and Star Sports have been broadcasting the second season of BGMI Masters Series (BGMS), which will simultaneously be broadcast on streaming platform Rooter. Meanwhile, Jio Cinema and Krafton (BGMI's parent company) have formally joined forces to broadcast the BGIS 2023 event. From BGIS 2023's first round, fans will be able to watch the tournament on JioCinema, starting August 31. Major tournaments, such as Dota 2, League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and the more recent BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), draw in substantial audiences. Esports currently has 50million base across apps, with BGMI leading with 30mn MAU.

Rohit Agarwal, Founder & Director, Alpha Zegus, says the absolute core reason to work with mainstream broadcast partners is to make the sport (esports) more mainstream. “So far, esports tournaments were majorly broadcasted on Youtube and gaming stream platforms, which had a limited user base and penetration in India. With platforms like Star Sports and JioCinema, the penetration will increase multifold and will reach every household with or without an internet connection,” he says.

Animesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, 8Bit Creatives & S8UL, agrees the increasing popularity of Esports has captured the attention of brands and sponsors seeking to tap into the vibrant and engaged gaming community in the country. “This influx of investment has further propelled Esports into the mainstream landscape, as an increasing number of brands recognize the lucrative opportunities to reach their target audience,” he says.

What’s especially noteworthy is that Krafton signed deals with JioCinema, testament to how mainstream esports have become. A clear example of this transformation is evident in BGMS 2022, given the tournament garnered over 36 million viewers and 1.2 million impressions on its opening day on platforms like Loco, surpassing major sporting events like the UEFA Champions League finals and the French Open.  

“These historic figures underscore Esports' prominence in India and its strong appeal to brands. The partnership between BGMI tournaments and platforms like Star Sports and JioCinema serves as a testament to the gaming industry's potential to solidify its position as a mainstream sport within the nation, marking a significant stride toward further recognition and acceptance,” says Animesh.

Karan Anand, SVP – Strategy, Interactive Avenues (the digital arm of Interactive Avenues), says the competitive essence of these games and the impressive skills showcased by professional players contribute to their captivating viewing experience. “A contributing factor to the decision of both traditional broadcasting and digital platforms to broadcast esports content is the strong resonance of esports and gaming with younger audiences, particularly among millennials and Gen Z. Both types of platforms have recognized this trend and are leveraging it to attract the youth demographic to their respective platforms,” he says.

In addition to the fairly largish base, Anand observes that the stickiness is also very high, with some of the BGMI streams like Loco seeing concurrent viewership exceeding 2.5 lakh, hence making a lucrative option for both linear TV channel and digital OTT platforms.

“With esports solidifying its mainstream status, we anticipate a surge of interest from non-endemic brands looking to establish a presence and be a part of the gaming community. This is something we're already noticing at 8Bit Creatives, where big brands like Netflix, MamaEarth, Amazon Prime, Cadbury, Coca-Cola, Taco Bell, and others are regularly collaborating with our content creators,” says Animesh, adding that this rapid rise of Esports in mainstream content shows a big change in how creators and brands work together and marks an important moment in how we enjoy entertainment and create content.

“We have witnessed a surge in demand from the younger demographic, and mainstream media recognizes the need to engage this passionate gaming audience. By diversifying their content offerings, these platforms are staying relevant in an ever-evolving media landscape. With such positive reception, I am eagerly anticipating the viewership of BGIS Season 2 on the Jio Cinema,” says Devam “Dev” Vyas, Vice President - Gods Reign, a leading Indian esports organization, which has their team playing in both BGMS and BGIS tournament.

Keith Braganza, Senior Manager - Client Servicing, TheSmallBigIdea, says the popularity of Online Multiplayer Games and Gaming Influencers streaming on Social Platforms like YouTube and Discord had already hit the roof during the lockdown when NODWIN and Star Sports decided to leverage this and hit a masterstroke with the launch of BGMI Master Series, giving Gaming Streamers and their audiences a bigger platform.

Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF), says the official recognition of Esports as a multi-sport event has played a pivotal role in its acceptance as a mainstream sport within the general public. Additionally, its inclusion as an official medal sport at the Commonwealth Esports Championships last year and the Olympics Esports Week and Asian Games 2022 this year have also helped cement its place amongst the other traditional sports.

Krishna Menon, Chief Operating Officer, QYOU Media India agrees that the mainstream media coverage of esports tournaments will largely bring in a whole new audience segment to the streaming content ecosystem. “This is especially true for TV channels, which have a much larger reach and engagement than OTT platforms. Hence, we will see streaming gaming content on mainstream media will continue to see a significant increase in viewership.”

Rohit Agarwal believes that while this might cause a small decline in viewership of these tournaments on Youtube and gaming content platforms, “the overall picture is to increase the viewer base in India. An even bigger picture is to attract greater media attention, brand attention, and government attention by going mainstream. It eventually leads to a domino effect of people taking this sport more seriously.”

“The increasing popularity of esports tournaments is actually good news for both gaming content platforms and viewers. esports tournaments will eventually open up new revenue stream opportunities for brands, media companies and gaming firms for showcasing their content on streaming platforms. The opportunity to create exclusive content and experiences for their users will be a great way to reach a newer, wider audience base,” says Menon.

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