Brand Engagement Summit: Esports Still At 'Embryonic' Stage

Esports is one of the fastest-growing segments in the industry, but panelists at the '16 Intersport Brand Engagement Summit said it is too soon to say how sponsorships will develop. “It’s early,” said Coca-Cola VP/Entertainment, Ventures & Strategic Alliances Matt Wolf. “It’s a baby still, it’s embryonic. When this thing matures over time, I think you’ll start to see some more parallels to what you’re used to in traditional sports, but not entirely.” The latest example of the sport’s growing presence in mainstream media was Turner’s carriage of the ELeague last week. The tournament debuted on esports streaming platform Twitch, then was broadcast on TBS on Friday night, with initial metrics reflecting a warm welcome on social media. Turner Sports Exec VP & Chief Content Officer Craig Barry said that the emphasis now is on monetizing the engagement that his network’s coverage generated: 150 hours consumed, 3 million views on Twitch, 7 million impressions on Twitter and 3 million views on Facebook.