eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities

doi:10.1016/J.SMR.2017.07.008

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eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities

Journal Article•DOI•

eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities

Daniel C. Funk¹, Anthony D. Pizzo¹, Bradley J. Baker¹•Institutions (1)

Temple University¹

01 Feb 2018-Sport Management Review (Elsevier)-Vol. 21, Iss: 1, pp 7-13

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue for the inclusion of organized e-sports events and competitions within sport management vis-a-vis e-games meeting certain defining criteria of sport in general.

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About: This article is published in Sport Management Review.The article was published on 2018-02-01. It has received 199 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Sport management & Video game.

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Journal Article•DOI•

What Is eSports and Why Do People Watch It

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Juho Hamari¹, Max Sjöblom²•Institutions (2)

University of Tampere¹, Aalto University²

01 Jan 2017-Social Science Research Network

TL;DR: The results indicate that escapism, acquiring knowledge about the games being played, novelty and eSports athlete aggressiveness were found to positively predict eSport spectating frequency.

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Abstract: Purpose: In this study we investigate why do people spectate eSports on the internet. We define eSports (electronic sports) as a form of sports where the primary aspects of the sport are facilitated by electronic systems; the input of players and teams as well as the output of the eSports system are mediated by human-computer interfaces. In more practical terms, eSports refer to competitive video gaming (broadcasted on the internet).Methodology: We employed the MSSC (Motivations Scale for Sports Consumption) which is one of the most widely applied measurement instruments for sports consumption in general. The questionnaire was designed and pre-tested before distributing to target respondents (N=888). The reliability and validity of the instrument both met the commonly accepted guidelines. The model was assessed first by examining its measurement model and then the structural model.Findings: The results indicate that escapism, acquiring knowledge about the games being played, novelty and eSports athlete aggressiveness were found to positively predict eSport spectating frequency.Originality: During recent years, eSports (electronic sports) and video game streaming have become rapidly growing forms of new media in the internet driven by the growing provenance of (online) games and online broadcasting technologies. Today, hundreds of millions of people spectate eSports. The present investigation presents a large study on gratification-related determinants of why people spectate eSports on the internet. Moreover, the study proposes a definition for eSports and further discusses how eSports can be seen as a form of sports.

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431 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

eSport: Construct specifications and implications for sport management

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George B. Cunningham, Sheranne Fairley¹, Lesley Ferkins², Shannon Kerwin³, Daniel Lock⁴, Sally Shaw⁵, Pamela Wicker⁶ - Show less +3 more•Institutions (6)

University of Queensland¹, Auckland University of Technology², Brock University³, Bournemouth University⁴, University of Otago⁵, German Sport University Cologne⁶

01 Feb 2018-Sport Management Review

TL;DR: In this article, the role of e-sports in sport management is discussed and the role that sport management can be seen as a form of sportification, and the association among sport and various outcomes including physical and psychological health, social well-being, sport consumption outcomes, and diversity and inclusion.

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104 citations

Cites background from "eSport management: Embracing eSport..."

...Recognizing the pervasiveness of exclusionary cultures, Funk et al. (2018) noted: “eSport remains a highly gendered environment, and identifying barriers to competition and spectatorship is a strength of sport management research that can be leveraged by eSport” (p. XX)....
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...…sponsors, and large following), and has some level of institutionalization of rules, records, and other standards, though the latter point is somewhat debated, too (Funk et al., 2018; Hallmann & Giel, 2018; Jenny, Manning, Keiper, & Olrich, 2017; Keiper, Manning, Jenny, Olrich, & Croft, 2017)....
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...institutionalization of rules, records, and other standards, though the latter point is somewhat debated, too (Funk et al., 2018; Hallmann & Giel, 2018; Jenny, Manning, Keiper, & Olrich, 2017; Keiper, Manning, Jenny, Olrich, & Croft, 2017)....
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...From a governance perspective, Funk et al. (2018) offered several points to consider, including the emergence of colleges and universities offering scholarships to eSport participants (see also Schaeperkoetter et al., 2017), legal issues with eSport as sport, labor issues, and ownership issues....
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...Though Funk, Pizzo, and Baker (2018) and Hallmann and Giel (2018) both spoke to the question, Heere (2018) was resistant to even address the idea....
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Journal Article•DOI•

eSport vs sport: A comparison of spectator motives

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Anthony D. Pizzo, Bradley J. Baker, Sangwon Na, Mi Ae Lee, Doohan Kim, Daniel C. Funk - Show less +2 more

01 Jun 2018-Sport marketing quarterly

TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured sport consumption motives to examine their influence on e-sports spectatorship and game attendance frequency and found that traditional sport and eSports are similarly consumed, suggesting that sport industry professionals can manage and market e-games similarly to traditional sport events.

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Abstract: eSports–organized video game competitions–are growing in popularity, with top tournaments drawing crowds of spectators rivaling traditional sporting events. Understanding the extent to which eSport operates similarly to traditional sport is vital to developing marketing strategies for the eSport industry and informing academic research on eSport. Prior research has examined eSports in isolation from traditional sports, overlooking direct comparisons to understand the degree to which eSport spectators are motivated similarly to traditional sport spectators. The current study measures widely-used sport consumption motives to examine their influence on eSport spectatorship and game attendance frequency. In South Korea, spectator motives across one traditional sport (soccer) and two eSport contexts (FIFA Online 3 and StarCraft II) were measured. MANOVA results identify similar patterns for 11 out of 15 motives across the three. Significant differences between contexts include vicarious achievement, excitement, physical attractiveness, and family bonding. Multiple regression analysis results show that spectators across contexts have distinct sets of motives influencing game attendance. The current study demonstrates that traditional sport and eSports are similarly consumed, suggesting that sport industry professionals can manage and market eSport events similarly to traditional sport events.

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89 citations

Cites background from "eSport management: Embracing eSport..."

...This perspective is supported by conceptual work emphasizing that eSport shares many of the core managerial concerns present in traditional sport (Funk et al., 2018; Hallmann & Giel, 2018; Heere, 2018), with the current study empirically demonstrating similarities in their consumption....
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...The current study expands upon the conceptual work of Funk et al. (2018), which emphasized that traditional sport management research can inform eSport related research....
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...Yet, increasing support for acceptance of gaming as a social activity is increasing in Western cultures (PWC, 2016), evident in traditional sport entities increasing alignment with the eSports industry (Funk et al., 2018)....
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...Understanding whether eSport operates similarly to traditional sport is key to developing appropriate marketing strategies for the eSport industry and can inform academic research in this rapidly-growing area (e.g., Funk et al., 2018; Hallmann & Giel, 2018; Heere, 2018)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Beyond the Game: Dimensions of Esports Online Spectator Demand:

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Tyreal Yizhou Qian¹, James J. Zhang¹, Jerred Junqi Wang², John Hulland¹•Institutions (2)

University of Georgia¹, University of West Georgia²

01 Dec 2020-Communication and sport

TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored and evaluated the dimensions and consequences of online spectator demand in online games and identified preliminary dimensions of online esports online demand based on a series of metrics.

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Abstract: This study explored and evaluated the dimensions and consequences of esports online spectator demand In doing so, we identified preliminary dimensions of esports online spectator demand based on s

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72 citations

Cites background from "eSport management: Embracing eSport..."

...Recent scholarship (e.g., Brown et al., 2018; Cunningham et al., 2018; Funk et al., 2018; Hallmann & Giel, 2018; Hamari & Sjöblom, 2017; Heere, 2018; Pizzo et al., 2018) has become increasingly cognizant of the emerging esports industry along with its rapidly growing spectator segment....
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...Previous research has revealed a cogent congruence between traditional sports and esports that allow scholars from different disciplines to take advantage of this association to probe the emerging phenomenon (Cunningham et al., 2018; Funk et al., 2018; Hallmann & Giel, 2018; Heere, 2018)....
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...Participants were classified into spectators of First-Person Shooting (FPS) games, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games (MOBA), Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games, Fighting Games, and Sport Video Games (SVGs; Funk et al., 2018; see Table 1)....
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...Recent scholarship (e.g., Brown et al., 2018; Cunningham et al., 2018; Funk et al., 2018; Hallmann & Giel, 2018; Hamari & Sjöblom, 2017; Heere, 2018; Pizzo et al., 2018) has become increasingly cognizant of the emerging esports industry along with its rapidly growing spectator segment....
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Journal Article•DOI•

It is in the game: dimensions of esports online spectator motivation and development of a scale

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Tyreal Yizhou Qian¹, Jerred Junqi Wang², James J. Zhang³, Laura Lu³•Institutions (3)

Louisiana State University¹, University of West Georgia², University of Georgia³

07 Aug 2020-European Sport Management Quarterly

TL;DR: In this article, the Motivation Scale of Esports Spectatorship (MSES) was developed to tackle the idiosyncrasies associated with esports online spectatorship, and the study was designed to: (a) develop the motivation scale of esports spectatorship and (b) id

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Abstract: Research questions: To tackle the idiosyncrasies associated with esports online spectatorship, the study was designed to: (a) develop the Motivation Scale of Esports Spectatorship (MSES) and (b) id...

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62 citations

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References

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Open Access

More filters

Journal Article•DOI•

What Is eSports and Why Do People Watch It

[...]

Juho Hamari¹, Max Sjöblom²•Institutions (2)

University of Tampere¹, Aalto University²

01 Jan 2017-Social Science Research Network

TL;DR: The results indicate that escapism, acquiring knowledge about the games being played, novelty and eSports athlete aggressiveness were found to positively predict eSport spectating frequency.

...read moreread less

431 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

What is eSports and why do people watch it

[...]

Juho Hamari, Max Sjöblom

22 Mar 2017-Internet Research

TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate why people spectate eSports on the internet and find that escapism, acquiring knowledge about the games being played, novelty and eSports athlete aggressiveness positively predict eSport spectating frequency.

...read moreread less

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate why do people spectate eSports on the internet. The authors define eSports (electronic sports) as “a form of sports where the primary aspects of the sport are facilitated by electronic systems; the input of players and teams as well as the output of the eSports system are mediated by human-computer interfaces.” In more practical terms, eSports refer to competitive video gaming (broadcasted on the internet).,The study employs the motivations scale for sports consumption which is one of the most widely applied measurement instruments for sports consumption in general. The questionnaire was designed and pre-tested before distributing to target respondents (n=888). The reliability and validity of the instrument both met the commonly accepted guidelines. The model was assessed first by examining its measurement model and then the structural model.,The results indicate that escapism, acquiring knowledge about the games being played, novelty and eSports athlete aggressiveness were found to positively predict eSport spectating frequency.,During recent years, eSports (electronic sports) and video game streaming have become rapidly growing forms of new media in the internet driven by the growing provenance of (online) games and online broadcasting technologies. Today, hundreds of millions of people spectate eSports. The present investigation presents a large study on gratification-related determinants of why people spectate eSports on the internet. Moreover, the study proposes a definition for eSports and further discusses how eSports can be seen as a form of sports.

...read moreread less

409 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Why Do People Watch Others Play Video Games? An Empirical Study on the Motivations of Twitch Users

[...]

Max Sjöblom¹, Juho Hamari²•Institutions (2)

Aalto University¹, University of Tampere²

13 May 2016-Social Science Research Network

TL;DR: The study lays groundwork for understanding the motivations to consume this emerging form of new media in the context of online games and video streams by examining five distinct types of motivations: cognitive, affective, personal integrative, social integrative and tension release.

...read moreread less

Abstract: This study investigates why people consume live peer-produced online videogame content, an emerging form of new media phenomenon. To study this video streaming phenomenon we employ a questionnaire study (N=1097). Utilising the uses and gratifications theory we examine five distinct types of motivations: cognitive, affective, personal integrative, social integrative and tension release. We find that tension release, social integrative and affective motivations are positively associated with how many hours people watch streams. We also find that social integrative motivations are the primary predictor of subscription behaviour. This study lays groundwork for understanding the motivations to consume this emerging form of new media related to online games and video streams.

...read moreread less

314 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Why do people watch others play video games? An empirical study on the motivations of Twitch users

[...]

Max Sjblom¹, Juho Hamari²•Institutions (2)

Aalto University¹, Tampere University of Technology²

01 Oct 2017-Computers in Human Behavior

TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined five distinct types of motivations from the uses and gratifications perspective: cognitive, affective, personal integrative, social integrative and tension release.

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311 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Virtual(ly) Athletes: Where eSports Fit Within the Definition of “Sport”

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Seth E. Jenny¹, R. Douglas Manning², Margaret C. Keiper³, Tracy W. Olrich⁴•Institutions (4)

Winthrop University¹, University of Southern Mississippi², Northwood University³, Central Michigan University⁴

02 Jan 2017-Quest

TL;DR: A brief history of eSports and a further developed definition of eSports, and a comparison of eSports to traditional philosophical and sociological definitions of sport are discussed in this paper, with the purpose of this article being to provoke thought on the academically accepted definitions and debate whether eSports should be considered a sport.

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Abstract: Electronic sports, cybersports, gaming, competitive computer gaming, and virtual sports are all synonyms for the term eSports. Regardless of the term used, eSports is now becoming more accepted as a sport and gamers are being identified as athletes within society today. eSports has even infiltrated higher education in the form of an intercollegiate athletic sport, as two university athletic departments have made eSports an official varsity sport where scholarships are provided to collegiate eSports athletes. Thus, the intertwining of eSports and university athletics brings into question whether eSports should be considered sport by broader society. This article provides a brief history of eSports, a further developed definition of eSports, and a comparison of eSports to traditional philosophical and sociological definitions of sport. The purpose of this article is to provoke thought on the academically accepted definitions of sport and debate whether eSports should be considered a sport. Attention...

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280 citations