Four million Aussies have watched competitive video gaming

One in five are interested in watching eSports in the future

New research from YouGov reveals that close to four million Aussies have watched eSports.

The Just a Game? Understanding the existing and future eSports market in Australia report finds that 15% of Australian adults (approaching four million people) have watched competitive video gaming – also known as eSports – and eight in ten of this group (79%) are keen to do so again. eSports has grown in popularity in recent years, so much so that major brands such as Audi andMcDonald’s have invested in sponsorship deals with leading Aussie teams.

YouGov’s research covers six markets across the world markets and finds that younger people are the keenest spectators, with a quarter (23%) of 18-24s in Australia having watched eSports, compared to less than 1% of people aged 55+.

More than half (57%) of those who have seen eSports watch it on at least a monthly basis. Heavy gamers are most likely to watch eSports on a regular basis, with 64% of heavy gamers watching eSports at least monthly.

The report also points to areas where spectatorship may develop. The research shows that one in five (21%) are interested in watching eSports at some point in the future. Again, younger age groups are most enthusiastic, with four in ten millennials being interested, compared with 4% of those aged 55+.

However, Australia lags behind some markets for eSports awareness. While 77% of adults in China are aware of eSports, 44% of Aussies say the same.
In China, over four in ten (45%) Chinese adults have watched eSports while in the US, one in eight (12%) have and in Germany one in nine have (11%).

Sej Patel, Head of Australia at YouGov said: “The research shows there is an appetite for eSports in Australia. A solid proportion of existing spectators are reasonably enthusiastic about watching again and the scale of viewership in China and the US show how it could potentially develop in Australia.”

*Data was collected online by YouGov Omnibus in September 2017 among 1,032 respondents in Australia. Results are representative of the adult population.

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