Dismiss this billion-dollar industry at your own peril.
That was the message, regarding the explosion of eSports, of Brian Selander – the Entrepreneur in Residence at SeventySix Capital, a leading venture capital firm based in Radnor – when he kicked off the Suburban Philadelphia Speaker Series Wednesday night at People’s Light and Theatre in Malvern.
Selander, who helps his firm stay ahead of emerging developments across both business and culture, shared his insight on an industry that many people have heard of, but few know much about.
“My generation has a hard time wrapping our minds around the fact that people, who aren’t playing a video game but watching someone else play it, can fill up arenas like the Wells Fargo Center,” said Ken Knickerbocker, the owner of American Community Journals and publisher of VISTA Today. “Brian gave us a glimpse into a world most people don’t even know existed.”
Indeed, the world around us is changing, and that notion of transitions is the theme of the Speaker Series. The second installment is Nov. 15, when noted political pundit McKay Coppins, an author and staff writer for The Atlantic, takes the stage at People’s Light to discuss “The New Normal in U.S. Politics.” Tickets are still available here.
The Speaker Series is made possible through the generosity of its sponsors:
- First Priority Bank
- MacElree Harvey
- Brandywine Valley Heating and Air Conditioning
- Northlight Advertising
- Chester County Food Bank
As it relates to eSports, Selander said it shouldn’t be difficult to understand its appeal, and thus growth.
“As adults, we grew up with baseball as a form of entertainment, and that’s our norm,” he said. “But think of how boring that – one player pitching to another player every seven seconds while seven other players just stand around – must be to a 12-year-old who’s surrounded by technology. In Call of Duty (a popular video game), though, there’s multiple things happening every single second.
“Plus, a lot of what we want our kids to learn through sports – discipline, strategy, teamwork, accepting defeat – can be gained through eSports.”
The proof of its popularity? Well, it’s in the pudding. Ad spending on eSports in 2017 is expected to hit $155 million, while sponsorship revenue is expected to reach $266 million.
“There’s an accessibility to eSports,” said Selander. “That makes it more connective to people under 30. Success in eSports is more realizable than professional sports could ever be.”
Click here to purchase tickets for the next round of the Suburban Philadelphia Speaker Series featuring McKay Coppins.
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