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Nate Givens
October 7, 2020
Esports In The USA

​In 2019, there were about 2.47 billion gamers in the world. Now, in 2020, there are about 2.6 billion gamers. That is a 5.9% yearly increase. How would you like to have a career based around a hobby, gaming? That is exactly what Esports is all about. Esports is a sport and career for people who have a passion for playing video games, and it continues to grow rapidly every year. Today I will introduce you to Esports by talking about teams, costs, and locations.

​First, if you decide to go down the Esports lane, you will probably want to choose a team. The skill level of teams varies greatly, from casual, to amateur, and finally, professional. You will probably start out as a casual or amateur, so you would choose a team according to your skill level. If you become professional, you can expect to have a team that may be worth anywhere from $85,000 to $35,000,000, according to esportsearnings.com! Another factor for choosing teams is what game you play. There are many teams for many different games, so you will want to find a team that also plays the same game as you. Finding a team is as easy as a Google search. Once you find a team, you will most likely fill out an application and wait for a response. That is how to choose an Esports team.

​Second, you will have to worry about costs and prices. Some teams may require you to pay a fee to join the team, and you will definitely have to pay for a good computer to play video games on. If you are getting a computer, there are 2 main options. You can either build a computer or purchase a prebuilt one. If you build a computer, you will have to pick out the parts yourself and put it all together. The construction of the computer is equivalent to building a big lego set, with more expensive parts. If you buy a prebuilt, all you would have to do is search on the internet and find one. However, buying a prebuilt may be risky because they are usually more expensive than building a computer, and you don’t know what parts the company you buy from used. If you are at an Esports competition, they will have a computer for you, but at home you need a computer for yourself. Most tournaments also require fees upon entry. These usually range from $20 - $70, but if you are professional, the prize pool is way bigger, resulting in more expensive entry fees. That is all about the costs associated with Esports including computers, entry fees, etc.

​Lastly, you have to worry about Esports locations, and where tournaments are located. According to ncsasports.org, Esports stadiums are popping up everywhere and it’s becoming easier to find locations. Previously, Esports stadiums were really only found in big cities, like Los Angeles and New York City. Tournaments are held very frequently, but it may be a struggle to find a tournament with your game, your skill level, and your price. Luckily, there are great tools online to help you find Esports stadiums based on skill level and cost, like ncsasports.org. Some bigger tournaments are invite - only, so you will have to earn your way into those. If you do manage to make it to a big tournament, you can expect a lot of viewers, in the stadium and online. According to roundhillinvestments.com, Esports viewers in general are expected to grow about 11.7% per year! By 2023, there will be a projected 646 million viewers! That is all about Esports locations, tournaments, and how to find a tournament that suits you just right!
​In conclusion, gaming is a hobby, but if you want to make it a career you should look into Esports. In order to get involved with Esports, you will need to find a team, get the proper equipment (which can sometimes be quite expensive), and find the right locations for tournaments. Esports is very versatile, you can play any game, at any skill level. The key to getting into Esports is doing research. Lucky for you, since Esports is growing so rapidly there are a ton of sources online to help you get started. As Zoltan Andrejkovics once said, “The team that keeps winning is not the most talented but the most hard working.” This quote means that if you work hard enough, you can achieve your dreams!