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eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities

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  • Daniel C. Funk
  • Anthony D. Pizzo
  • Bradley J. Baker

Abstract

•eSport, organized video game competitions, is increasingly recognized as sport.•eSport’s structure, organization, and institutionalization qualify the activity as sport.•eSport represents a novel area for sport management research, education, and practice.•Expertise from sport management can inform emerging dilemmas facing eSport.•Organized eSport events and competitions should remain within sport management.Consumer demand for eSport and the growth of organized video game competitions has generated considerable attention from the sport, event, and entertainment industries. eSport therefore represents a novel and popular area for sport management academics to conduct research, educate students, and service industry. However, despite growth and acceptance by consumers and practitioners, academics debate eSport’s position within the domain of sport management, their debates largely concentrated around the question of whether eSport can be classified as sport. In this article, the authors argue for the inclusion of organized eSport events and competitions within sport management vis-à-vis eSport’s meeting certain defining criteria of sport in general. eSport’s connection to traditional sport and defining characteristics are addressed to support eSport’s role as a sport entertainment product recognized by industry as representing a substantial growth opportunity for sport and related organizations. As eSport continues to evolve, practitioners face managerial challenges that are similar to those in traditional sport, particularly in areas of governance and diversity. Sport management academics should embrace the potential of eSport in order to examine this evolution and provide guidance to industry through education and research.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel C. Funk & Anthony D. Pizzo & Bradley J. Baker, 2018. "eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities," Sport Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 7-13, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:rsmrxx:v:21:y:2018:i:1:p:7-13
    DOI: 10.1016/j.smr.2017.07.008
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bruno Duarte Abreu Freitas & Ruth Sofia Contreras-Espinosa & Pedro à lvaro Pereira Correia, 2020. "Sponsoring Esports to Improve Brand Image," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 67(4), pages 495-515, December.
    2. Marcelo Leon & Miriam Vanessa Hinojosa-Ramos & Alan León-Lopez & Simone Belli & Cristian López-Raventós & Hector Florez, 2022. "eSports Events Trend: A Promising Opportunity for Tourism Offerings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-14, October.
    3. Emily Jane Hayday & Holly Collison, 2020. "Exploring the Contested Notion of Social Inclusion and Gender Inclusivity within eSport Spaces," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(3), pages 197-208.
    4. Nufer, Gerd, 2020. "e-Sports: was es ist und wie es sich entwickelt," Reutlingen Working Papers on Marketing & Management 2020-1, Reutlingen University, ESB Business School.
    5. Giachino, Chiara & Nirino, Niccolò & Leonidou, Erasmia & Glyptis, Loukas, 2023. "eSport in the digital era: Exploring the moderating role of perceived usefulness on financial behavioural aspects within reward-crowdfunding," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    6. Hollebeek, Linda D. & Abbasi, Amir Zaib & Schultz, Carsten D. & Ting, Ding Hooi & Sigurdsson, Valdimar, 2022. "Hedonic consumption experience in videogaming: A multidimensional perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Shang-Chun Ma & Kevin K. Byon & Wooyoung (William) Jang & Shang-Min Ma & Tsung-Nan Huang, 2021. "Esports Spectating Motives and Streaming Consumption: Moderating Effect of Game Genres and Live-Streaming Types," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-21, April.
    8. Lopez, Colin & Pizzo, Anthony D. & Gupta, Keshav & Kennedy, Heather & Funk, Daniel C., 2021. "Corporate growth strategies in an era of digitalization: A network analysis of the national basketball association’s 2K league sponsors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 208-217.
    9. Pizzo, Anthony D. & Kunkel, Thilo & Jones, Gareth J. & Baker, Bradley J. & Funk, Daniel C., 2022. "The strategic advantage of mature-stage firms: Digitalization and the diversification of professional sport into esports," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 257-266.
    10. Weisheng Chiu & Thomas Chun Man Fan & Sang-Back Nam & Ping-Hung Sun, 2021. "Knowledge Mapping and Sustainable Development of eSports Research: A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-17, September.
    11. Westmattelmann, Daniel & Grotenhermen, Jan-Gerrit & Sprenger, Marius & Rand, William & Schewe, Gerhard, 2021. "Apart we ride together: The motivations behind users of mixed-reality sports," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 316-328.
    12. Cunningham, George B. & Fairley, Sheranne & Ferkins, Lesley & Kerwin, Shannon & Lock, Daniel & Shaw, Sally & Wicker, Pamela, 2018. "eSport: Construct specifications and implications for sport management," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 1-6.
    13. Chaoyu Yin & Yihan Huang & Daehwan Kim & Kyungun Kim, 2023. "The Effect of Esports Content Attributes on Viewing Flow and Well-Being: A Focus on the Moderating Effect of Esports Involvement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-22, August.

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