Esports

Esports have rapidly expanded from a pastime undertaken by casual players to one of the largest segments of the entertainment industry, in which hundreds of millions of people play and compete daily. Esports Business Management With HKPropel Access is one of the first textbooks to present an all-encompassing look into the world of esports business, will teach both aspiring students and sports professionals about the business of this rapidly expanding industry. Written by esports executives, business experts, and esports educators—and endorsed by the International Esports Federation, Esports Research Network, and the United States Esports Federation—the textbook offers a comprehensive approach to the operational side of esports, supplemented by a striking full-color design and dynamic imagery that will bring concepts to life.

The text begins with a basic overview of the industry, including various levels of esports, culture, and social issues. Next, readers will explore the interests and concerns of various tiers of stakeholders—from title publishers and event organizers to leagues, sponsors, fans, and more—and learn about governance at multiple levels, from the international level to college conferences. A full look at the marketing engine of esports examines sponsorship opportunities, esports events and venues, and communications at all levels, including broadcasting, analytics, and social media. The book addresses managerial and business issues associated with running an esports-related entity, including financial and legal concepts as well as team and player management. The text concludes by examining careers found in the various segments of the industry and looking at the future of esports.

Throughout the text, Zoning sidebars provide real-world spotlights that bring the concepts to life. Student learning will be enhanced by the related online learning aids delivered through HKPropel, with student exercises and case studies that apply content to life, industry profiles, and a list of Internet resources for further learning.

While similarities exist between the sports and esports environments, there are also significant differences in how the esports industry must operate to thrive. Esports Business Management is the foundational text for understanding and working in this exciting, fast-paced industry.

This transdiciplinary work, at the intersection of motor praxeology, the sociology of sports and game studies, seeks to understand the phenomenon of “electronic sport” (Wagner, 2006; Taylor, 2012), using the fighting game Mortal Kombat X as its primary focus.
The first chapter of this dissertation examines the competitive video gaming practice under four objective and operational criteria commonly used to define a sport: the physicality, the organization of competitions, the regulatory system and the institutional device (Parlebas, 1999). In order to understand more clearly the characteristics shared by these two contemporary practices, our analysis is based on a qualitative methodology centered on direct observations during training and e-sport competitions (n = 9) and semi-directive interviews with amateurs, semi-professional gamers (n = 4) and with an organizer of competitive events (n = 1). The collected data (photographs, field notes and interviews) focus on one hand on the event’s organization (governing bodies, space and equipment, competition format, broadcasting) and on the other hand on player interactions (behavior and speech, appropriation of time and space, interactions with other players and with the material).
With this data in mind, we asked if e-sports can be considered as a sport, does competitive video gaming, especially with violent content, encourage aggressive behavior? And if so, does it promote social interactions among players?
The sportization process (Elias & Dunning, 1986) of competitive video gaming, allows in the second chapter of our study for an indirect reflection on the themes of violence in sports and video games, aided by the concept of motor aggression (Collard, 2004; Dugas, 2011). Drawing on the work of Collard (2004), we have established a typology of different forms of aggression often occurring in e-sports. Here, we distinguished “real aggression,” taking place outside of the game, mostly illegal or at best permitted, from “virtual aggression,” which takes place in the virtual environment and is lawful or at worst tolerated. The quantitative analysis is based on recorded observations during training (n = 1) and competitions (n = 3). We filmed 29 regular and competitive players (28 men and one woman). During the observation of 33 fights, two cameras were oriented toward both the real player and its virtual representation on screen. The results show more than 18,250 occurrences of lawful aggression, a little less than 300 occurrences of tolerated aggression, and no occurrence of illegal aggression. Like sports, e-sports simultaneously result in a certain form of aggression while following the evolutionary logic of games oriented toward a decrease of the risk of physical injury.
The final chapter deals with the forms of sociability (Simmel, 1981) present in the practice of e-sport. The groupings of competitors into “communities” or “teams” highlight these interactions among competitive players. We conducted a questionnaire analysis as a paired comparison (Condorcet, 1785). We asked 207 players (196 men and 11 women) to class six reasons why they practice e-sports: competition, social interactions, recognition, skill development, graphics and sensations procured by participation. Results reveal that 63% (130/207) rankings are transitive, showing that individual choices are consistent and the preferences are structured. Collective choices indicate a high homogeneity. Although the competitive aspect is the main reason for playing e-sports, social interactions are the second factor, leading us away from popular ideas of a socially isolated player.
Just as with “real-life” sports, e-sports mirror the societies in which they are created. The sportization of competitive video gaming is a good indicator of the social and cultural developments of our time. By abandoning the human target in favor of a virtual target, e-sports seem to represent a substituted and played form of a socially acceptable symbolic aggression. Because of the necessary confrontation of another real player, competitive video games promote social interactions in the real and virtual worlds, while also appearing to be a medium of possible relational well-being.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is considering the adoption of e-sports (i.e., organised competitive video gaming), which could be considered a radical innovation as it deviates in many areas from traditional sports (e.g., online game play format, lack of high physical exertion, complicated intellectual property rights for each game, etc.). However, collaboration with firms familiar with the innovation (e.g., National Association of Collegiate eSports-NACE) might mitigate risks surrounding the radical innovation. Thus, the purpose of this paper was to investigate whether a potential association between the NCAA and NACE would be advantageous to both organisations. Through a deductive qualitative content analysis underpinned by Rogers's (2003) innovation characteristics (e.g., complexity, compatibility and relative advantage), several themes emerged: physical exertion, e-sports structure, amateurism, eligibility, compensation, profitability, and diversity and ...

Espor’a hem ülkemizde hem de dünyanın genelinde bir önyargı olduğu
bilinmektedir, çağın gereklilikleri kısa, orta ve uzun vadelerde olmak üzere sürekli
değişmekteyken spor olgusunun da değişmesini görmek artık şaşırtıcı olmaktan çıkma
noktasına gelmiştir. Bu temelden hareketle Espor’un, spor olgusunun değişiminin
öbeğinde olduğu görülmektedir.
Alanı daha iyi anlamak, keşfetmek ve spor vb. bilim dallarındaki bilinmezleri
ortaya çıkartmak son derece önemlidir. Çünkü espor’un temelde hareketsiz yapıldığı
düşüncesi yalnızca yapılacak çalışmalarla değiştirilebilir. Bu tez çalışma ise tam olarak
bunu hedeflemektedir. Spor branşları için bilişsel özelliklerin başarısı ile performans
düzeyi arasında bir bağ olduğu düşünüldüğünde, reaksiyon zamanı birçok spor branşı
için son derece önemli olarak öne çıkmaktadır.
Basketbol branşı son derece hızlı, anlık karar verilmesi gereken pozisyonları
barındıran ve bununla birlikte belli bir noktadan sonra ince beceriler ile birlikte esas
olan fiziksel ya da zihinsel becerilerin öne çıkması için performansın optimuma
gelmesinde her eylemin kusursuza yakın olması gerekmektedir. Reaksiyon zamanı ise
saniyenin çok küçük ölçeklerinde gerçekleştiğinden dolayı bu branş için son derece
önemlidir. Espor’da ise yine hem görsel hem de işitsel reaksiyon zamanı son derece
önemli olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Çünkü oyuncular yoğun olarak hem derinlik
algılama, anlık karar verme, problem çözme yetenekleriyle birlikte olaylara doğru ve
hızlı reaksiyon vermek zorundadırlar.
Buradan yola çıkılarak yapılan bu tez çalışmasında görsel reaksiyon (FitLight)
ve işitsel reaksiyon ölçümlerinde oturarak iki el (görsel reaksiyon) ile gerçekleştirilen
ölçümde espor oyuncularının basketbol oyuncularından daha başarılı olduğu, ayakta
ve oturarak yapılan diğer tüm testlerde de iki grup arasında anlamlı farkın olmadığı
ortaya çıkmıştır. Kanonik verilerde de yine espor oyunlarının basketbol oyuncularının
reaksiyon zamanlarını geliştirmek maksatlı kullanılabileceği öngörüsünde
bulunulmuştur.

This paper focuses on the analysis of audiovisual materials according to the media circulation model of eSports-related content. Its aim is to assess the process of strengthening the commercial potential of formalized eSports enterprises in a relatively new, national market. This goal is achieved through looking at a case study of one of the leading media groups in the Eastern Europe taking interest in the eSports market and launching a multi-platform campaign to promote particular eSports titles, brands and initiatives in a short period of time. The methodological framework used for the analysis encompasses media circuit model developed through the work of British Cultural Studies. Paul du Gay and Stuart Hall’s concepts used in the text involve aspects such as production, consumption, regulation, identity and representation. Data concerning the multi-platform informational shows, websites, social media presence and the overall business model of supporting the local eSports scene ha...

Los eSports o competiciones de videojuegos han experimentado un crecimiento exponencial en los últimos años y constituyen una importante fuente de ingresos en la Unión Europea. Particularmente, el mercado alemán de videojuegos es el quinto más grande del mundo y el más grande de Europa y acoge las principales competiciones deportivas, siendo el país de referencia para los deportes electrónicos europeos. La cuestión sobre el reconocimiento de los eSports como un auténtico deporte se presenta en el país como una de las principales problemáticas y debates jurídico-deportivos de la actualidad, cuyo análisis abordamos en el presente trabajo.

Imagina que te contrata una gran empresa del sector de la alimentación llamada CÁRNICAS ESPAÑOLAS para ser el Director de un equipo de eSports y competir en las principales ligas nacionales e internacionales con el objetivo de posicionar la marca de la empresa ante el público más joven.  FASE 1: SITUACIÓN Y OBJETIVO DE CÁRNICAS ESPAÑOLAS Situación: se trata de una empresa no endémica de eSport que ha visto en este sector una manera de conectar con una parte de su público objetivo al que ahora mismo no está llegando. Se trata de un público joven en una franja de edad de 24-34 años que no se encuentra en los medios tradicionales. Objetivo: formar un equipo de eSports para competir en las principales ligas nacionales e internacionales. Este proyecto nace con el fin de posicionar la marca ante el público objetivo joven y generar engagement. Para gestionar el equipo de eSports, además de los jugadores, necesitamos otros perfiles. Los jugadores son muy importantes, pero hay otras áreas que tienen que estar trabajando para alcanzar los objetivos del equipo. En este caso, al tratarse de un equipo que surge directamente desde un patrocinador, en principio, no habrá grandes problemas de financiación, pero sí es necesario prestar mucha atención a la composición del equipo y a la definición de sus actividades, ya que todo es nuevo y se parte de cero. Además de la inexperiencia del equipo, hay que prestar atención a la incertidumbre del propio ecosistema, que es un entorno dinámico que está en constante cambio. Asumimos también que es un camino a largo plazo, donde la rentabilidad no la vemos a ver inmediatamente. Y otro aspecto que tenemos que tener en cuenta es que el target es muy fan pero tiene un elevado nivel de saturación publicitaria y no le cala la publicidad que no le aporta nada. El fan de eSports se encuentra en su territorio y además es hábil en el consumo de contenidos de calidad; Si nota publicidad en un sentido estricto no querrá mantener el vínculo que hayamos establecido. Por lo tanto se requiere un gran esfuerzo en crear contenidos interesantes que aporten valor y que mantengan este vínculo emocional. Para conseguir nuestro objetivo tenemos que ir experimentando, midiendo y evaluando lo que funciona y lo que no para ir corrigiendo errores o afianzando aprendizaje. Aunque el CANVAS se suele utilizar para crear el modelo de negocio de una empresa, podemos aplicarlo para crear el equipo profesional de eSports de Cárnicas Españolas.

The review critiques 'This Is Esports (And How to Spell It): An Insider’s Guide to the World of Pro Gaming', a book written by Paul Chaloner and Benjamin Sillis. The authors provide a comprehensive overview of the history of the esports industry, right from the emergence of arcade games to the evolution of esports into a billion-dollar industry. Further, the authors highlight some of the issues of concern in the contemporary esports landscape, including gender representation, player salaries, cheating allegations, and retirement in esports. The review critically analyzes the authors' perspective on the esports industry as well as the effectiveness of the writing style incorporated in the book.

1. Abstract:
The focus of the study is to find out the potentiality of e-sports in Bangladesh for sustainable development. We should work on the people playing online games of Bangladesh and their sectors of interest about the online games. Few millions of people play online games and purchase (diamonds in talking tom, chips of casino) through various visa or master cards as payment has to be done by those cards. For the people who we designate as lower middle class the indirect payment is difficult as it is to afford a master or visa card; if the payment could be done by local mobile operators it would be easier. As Bangladesh has highest income on free lancing which means we have enough man power we can use to develop online gaming under expert supervision. As over millions of people play online games in Bangladesh so if online games can be launched by Bangladeshi owners the money used on games by the people would stay in our country. Finally we recommend as our country is a low earning country so it is a bit hard to find sponsors to initiate a project for the production of online games.

During recent years, while electronic sports (esports) has increasingly become a positive mainstream cultural phenomenon, it also may have several socio-economic implications, such as the growth of esports betting. Much like betting in sport, betting on esports has become a prominent form of gambling. However, there is still a paucity of knowledge on the demographic characteristics of this gambling cohort, particularly in regard to its relationship to video game play and spectatorship. In the present study, past-year video gamers (N = 1368) completed an online survey. Survey questions inquired about their esports event spectating, video game play, and esports betting behaviours, as well as general demographic questions. Video gamers who bet on esports were a distinct cohort from their counterparts: younger, more likely to be male, lower frequency of video game play, higher frequency of esports spectatorship, and more likely to watch esports in a social setting (e.g., with others). B...

El presente estudio tuvo por objetivo investigar sobre el desarrollo de competencias digitales en relación al uso de eSports, centrándose particularmente en los géneros de FPS/TPS y MOBA. Se administró un inventario de competencias digitales a 65 personas, jugadores de eSports, residentes en Argentina. Las competencias digitales evaluadas fueron la multitarea, la inteligencia colectiva, la navegación transmedia, la negociación, el análisis y lectura crítica de la información, el trabajo en red o colaborativo y seguridad. Los resultados arrojados permitieron encontrar diferencias destacables que están relacionadas con las competencias de análisis crítico de la información, creación y manejo de contenidos en distintos formatos y seguridad. Sin embargo, no se encontraron diferencias significativas en el desarrollo de competencias entre los grupos en relación a la variable tipo de juego.

The present study aimed to investigate the development of digital skills in relation to the use of esports, focusing particularly on game classes as FPS/TPS and MOBA. An inventory of digital skills was administrated to 65 people, who are esports players and reside in Argentina. The digital skills evaluated were multitasking, collective intelligence, transmedia browsing, negotiation, analysis and critical reading of information, collaborative work on the web and security. The result obtained allowed us to find significant differences related to skills such as critical analysis of information, development and management of contents in different formats and security. However, significant differences were not found in skills development between the groups in relation to the two game classes.

O presente artigo busca ampliar os estudos acerca dos eSports (esportes eletrônicos) no que diz respeito a sua transmissão como forma de entretenimento. Para isso, buscou-se entender sobre a relação entre jogos como forma de cultura, o que é um esporte eletrônico e, por fim, o que é entretenimento. A partir dos conceitos levantados, foi feita uma análise de conteúdo baseada em Bardin (2016) em busca de características de entretenimento na transmissão do Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends. Concluiu-se que podemos encaixar conceitos de outras fontes de entretenimento nos esportes eletrônicos.

Abstract: This article discusses the processes involved in the construction of group membership and cohesion in a semiprofessional team of esports in the city of Belém, the capital of the state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazonian territory. This effort discusses what characterizes the progression and union of a particular team in a local competitive scenario in which ephemeral teams predominate. Based on an eleven-month ethnography with a set of players engaged in professional competitive practice, and through observations from field research, we compiled a set of 12 essential characteristics filled out by the team. Also, this study points to the development of an ethos of professionalism in a peripheral context, indicating the existence of an Amazonian esports scenario – in the North Region of the Brazil, with emphasis in Belém, Pará. The results indicate the subsistence of a social fabric composed of a variety of other elements that, in turn, constitute an ethos of group camaraderie that plays a central role in the competitive dynamics that underlie the team as a group.

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Drawing on sociocultural theories of learning, this case study describes how a small liberal arts university, steeped in a tradition of innovation and discovery, developed and introduced an interdisciplinary academic and applied esports program. The study describes the importance of a multi-interdisciplinary approach to program development and building community, drawn from the voices and expertise of interdepartmental stakeholders including administration, faculty, staff, and students. The authors share the timeline of events and lessons learned in launching a successful esports program by applying an entrepreneurial mindset and accepting an appropriate level of risk.

Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing programmes of study which aim to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching and communication. This working group examined the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on und...

Finally a book about eSports with stories of players like Manuel Schenkhuizen, Alessandro Avallone, journalists like Frank Fields, Jonas Gebhardt, scientists like Christian Scholz, Emma Witkowski, managers like Dario Salice, David Hiltscher and many more eSport people. Stories about Ireland, Belgium, first tournament experiences, the federations in eSport, stories about the failure of the ESWC, eSport as a scientific field, memories over the CPL 2004 and many more stories Additional to many pictures about eSport, which catch the emotion and the feeling of eSport events all around the world. The eSports Yearbook is the first book of its kind with stories from people in eSport for people in eSport and with the target to share the passion and fascination of eSport and its culture.

Esports are becoming increasingly popular at U.S. colleges and universities (Jenny, Manning, Keiper, & Olrich, 2017). Currently, collegiate esports programs are spread primarily across two departments (i.e., athletics, student affairs), with athletics often highlighted as their most viable home (Bauer-Wolf, 2019). While athletic departments provide important alignment opportunities for emerging esports programs, they also face complex institutional environments that complicate the integration of novel activities (i.e., esports). Through the lens of institutional creation, the purpose of this study was to understand how key actors within athletic and student affairs departments strategically integrated esports. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 university department directors from athletics (n = 10) and student affairs (n = 6). Findings indicate directors from both athletics and student affairs adopted similar institutional creation strategies that emphasized alignment with traditional sport, but dissimilar challenges related to external regulatory control and stakeholder perceptions. The discussion highlights the theoretical importance of institutional language and provides recommendations for the future management of collegiate esport.

Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing programmes of study which aim to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching and communication. This working group examined the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on und...

Traditional sport leagues must innovate and embrace emerging trends to grow. At the forefront of these trends are the inherently digital esports –competitive video game competitions. In particular, the NBA is a trailblazer in the esports industry by partnering with the video game publisher Take-Two Interactive, to create a virtual sport simulation league, the NBA 2K League. The NBA’s entrepreneurial activities create challenges regarding how to position the digital, boundary spanning product that incorporates elements from both traditional sports and esports. The current study utilized network analysis to examine three sponsorship portfolios: the NBA, the 2K League, and an existing esports league, the League of Legends Championship Series. Findings indicate that the NBA is using an innovative hybrid corporate growth strategy, with a diverse sponsorship portfolio for the 2K League. This strategy serves to mitigate the challenges of digitalization by legitimizing the 2K League across physical and virtual domains.

Individuals tend to compare themselves with others, and the results of these self-evaluations influence subsequent performance. When individuals perceive an advantage over their rivals (challenge-type response), they achieve higher levels of performance. According to the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat, benefits of favourable appraisals are partly mediated by cardiovascular efficiency, which is increased by challenge and decreased by threat evaluations. In this study, we tested whether the biopsychosocial model can be extended to predict behavioural outcomes in esports. We expected that challenge-type evaluations would increase performance compared to threat-type evaluations. Eighty-two men were assigned to a challenge or threat group and completed three rounds of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive-a video game popular in esports. Individuals with the highest scores were awarded cash prizes. Cardiovascular markers of challenge and threat, cognitive appraisals, and game scores were recorded. We manipulated the social challenge and social threat evaluation by informing participants that their performance in the initial round was superior (challenge) or inferior (threat) compared with other gamers. We found that individuals with more gaming experience, believed they were better than other gamers, had higher heart rate and, in turn, achieved higher scores. These effects were related to initial situational appraisal at the baseline and were not boosted by feedback provided during the actual performance. These results are the first to document that social comparisons among gamers are accurate in the prediction of future physiological and behavioural outcomes. Furthermore, these findings emphasize that physiological responses mediate relationships between action-related cognitions and performance.

Per molti i videogiochi rimangono soltanto un modo per distaccarsi dalla vita reale, ma non tutti coltivano questo pensiero. Altri lo considerano come lo sport del futuro che riuscirà a imporsi e probabilmente a diventare uno dei massimi esponenti dell'industria mediatica sportiva. Pur essendo oramai semplice trovare informazioni sul Web riguardanti gli eSport, rimane pressoché impossibile analizzarne in modo certo la loro possibile evoluzione. L'obbiettivo principale di questo elaborato è quello di dimostrare che l'avvento degli sport elettronici può essere positivo su diversi livelli. La presente tesi inizia con una descrizione approfondita delle origini del mondo eSport partendo dalla storia del videogioco. In tale capitolo vengono analizzati i principali mutamenti intercorsi nel mondo video ludico i quali, grazie ad altri fattori determinanti, hanno permesso la creazione delle fondamenta degli sport elettronici. Nel successivo capitolo si entrerà più nel dettaglio analizzando i fattori di sviluppo, le motivazioni e i principali cambiamenti sia nel mondo occidentale che orientale. In conclusione verranno analizzate le principali trasformazioni a livello economico, mediatico e di investimento che si stanno verificando in tale ambiente con particolare attenzione al fulcro centrale di questa economia: il pubblico.  ​

La presente investigación pretende analizar la escena chilena de deportes electrónicos o e-sports en términos de su infraestructura profesional, sentido de pertenencia de sus participantes y la noción de deportividad que emerge en este espacio. En conjuntocon esto  se  genera  un  aporte  para  el  debate  en  torno  a  la  ampliación  del  concepto  de deporte, a la luz de la emergencia de los deportes electrónicos en la era digital y a partir de  un  marco  de  referencia  que  considera  la  perspectiva  del  ensamble  del  juegoy  la noción de actantes de Latour. Para esto se aplicó un enfoque cualitativo fundamentado en la observación etnográfica de eventos competitivos presenciales y la realización de entrevistas  semiestructuradas a “actores” claves de la escena. Así entonces se  logró establecer  que  en  Chile  aún  no  existe  una  infraestructura  profesional  que  permita  el desarrollo de los deportes electrónicos; por lo mismo es imposible pensar los e-sports como una industria actualmente. Sin embargo, fue posible identificar la escena dentro de  un  proceso  de  coconstrucción  entre  los  diversos  actantes,  de  manera  que  en  este espacio  es  donde  se  hace  posible  la  re-configuración  del  sentido  de  deporte  y deportividad reflejado en la aparición de la figura del “ciber-atleta”.

Grassroots sports, the local implementation of a variety of sporting types, are the backbone and feedstock of all of the major sporting venues and organisations throughout the world. The ongoing pandemic is hitting grassroots sports hard, exacerbating inequalities with regard to access to sports activities, both on the ground and online. This multicentric collective case study presents an in-depth exploration of the social impact of COVID-19, learning from the experience of four grassroots sports organisations in Australia, India, South Africa, and
Spain. The case study recounts experiences from a constantly changing
and challenging scenario and provides examples of what these grassroots sports organisations have done to navigate, recover and even thrive out of their national emergencies amidst a global pandemic. The study exposed a real diversity of actions with differential outcomes for people from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Practical implications for grassroots programmes during times of unprecedented challenge and notable turning points are highlighted. Compliance with policies and strict protocols has, perhaps, forever, changed how children, young people, and adults engage in grassroots sports.

"Gamblification" is a rapidly emerging form of media convergence between the more chance-based activity of gambling and the more skill-based activity of (video) gaming, for example in the competitive video gaming known as esports. The marriage of video gaming and gambling has been theorised as bringing about new forms of gambling-related cognitive processes in individuals and affecting the ways in which they approach and evaluate gambling situations. As such, a pertinent research problem is whether existing measurement instruments designed to identify gambling related cognitions can be employed in this new context and population, and if not, how they can be adapted. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the psychometric properties of Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS) and a series of items developed following a review of existing literature. We employ three separate datasets gathered from video game players who also gamble (N = 442; 391; and, 335). The results indicate that the GRCS is not a robust measure to use for video game players who gamble; the new GamCog measure was, therefore, developed to address this gap. The study implies that the most significant cognitive differences between video game players and the wider population are the ways in which concepts of skill and luck are perceived, potentially due to the sense of personal agency engendered by video games.

Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing programmes of study which aim to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching and communication. This working group examined the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on understanding career prospects in esports and on the challenges presented by its interdisciplinary complexity. Thereby, paving the way for a framework to support the design of esports curricula in higher education.

This thesis aims to show the impact of the e-Sports phenomenon in the Philippines
starting from the years 2000-2015. The e-Sports phenomenon in the Philippines started in the
2000s, brought in by influx of Korean immigrants who had a thriving e-Sports culture of their
own back home in Korea. This thesis is supported by the theory of cultural diffusion by way of
relocation. The e-Sports phenomenon in the Philippines has brought about the creation of
corporations like Mineski, The Net Com (TnC), etc.; created leagues such as the Mineski ProGaming
League (MPGL), etc.; and has sent representative players to travel to countries like
Germany, South Korea, Singapore, etc. Though it has been 15 years, the e-Sports scene in the
Philippines is still largely underdeveloped and is still struggling for their big break into Philippine
mainstream media. This thesis will employ the descriptive-analytic method in understanding the
study. The significance of this paper is to raise awareness regarding the e-Sports phenomenon
and its impact and relevance to contemporary Philippine culture, and also aims to show the
contributions and achievements of the Philippine e-Sports industry.

Fußballvereine bemühen sich um eine nachhaltige Markenpositionierung, um Fans lang-fristig zu binden. Vor allem bei sportlichen Misserfolgen sind eine starke Markenpositio-nierung und klare Markenwerte wichtig, um durch treue Fans wirtschaftlich unabhängig zu sein. Ein neuer Weg der Markenpositionierung ist derzeit in der Deutschen Fußball-Bundesliga zu beobachten: Das Angebotsportfolio wird über das Kernprodukt Fußball hinaus in den eSport erweitert. Insgesamt 8 der 36 Vereine in der ersten und zweiten Bundesliga gaben bis Dezember 2017 ein Engagement im eSport bekannt. Viele weitere Vereine beobachten diese Entwicklungen und denken über einen Einstieg nach. Im Rahmen einer explorativen Studie sind wir daher der Frage nachgegangen, ob und wie sich das eSport-Engagement eines Vereins in der Fußball Bundesliga auf das Ver-einsimage auswirkt. Dazu haben wir zunächst über Experteninterviews Zielsetzungen und erste Erfahrungen auf Anbieter-(Vereins-)Seite bezüglich der Erweiterung des An-gebotsportfolios von Fußballverein um eine eSport-Komponente erkundet, um nachfol-gend über eine Zielgruppenbefragung den Einfluss eines eSport-Engagements auf die Markenwahrnehmung zu untersuchen.

Johnson examines “bullet hell” or “danmaku” games, and unpicks their relationships to Eastern and Western gaming cultures, and competitive and non-competitive gamers. He first traces the genre’s history and its subsequent spread from Japan into the West, before focusing on the extraordinarily high levels of reflex and eyesight required to play them at the highest level. The chapter then examines several interrelated issues: the epistemological uncertainty surrounding the concept of world records in a community without any centralized database of information; the newly globalized culture of high scores; and why less-skilled players choose to play games with such an extreme reflex requirement. It concludes by summarizing the present state of the genre and the place of danmaku in the broader world of gaming.

This mixed-methods study investigated whether playing the video game Madden NFL can: (a) assist someone in learning about American football, and (b) influence someone wanting to watch or play American football. International university students with little knowledge of the sport were randomly assigned into the control group (CG) (n = 22) or experimental group (EG) (n = 18). Both groups first completed an American football questionnaire and pre-test regarding the rules, field layout, terminology, official signals, and player positions of the sport. The EG then played Madden NFL two times per week (30 minutes each) for four weeks. Next, both groups took the same questionnaire and post-test, with the EG also performing a one-hour focus group session. Findings indicated that playing Madden NFL increased total American football knowledge, specifically regarding field layout and player positions, and facilitated intentions to want to watch or play the sport in an authentic environment.

La pratique compétitive du jeu vidéo se développe sous de nombreuses formes et de nombreux engagements. L'esport, ou sport électronique, montre un domaine en expansion qui dévoile des mécaniques semblables au monde du sport : joueur de haut niveau, compétition sous le signe du show, de l'entertainment, commentateurs, sponsors, formation d'équipes. Derrière ses similarités, l'esport fait apparaître un débat actuel concernant les pratiques sportives, culturelles et de loisir : la mixité homme/femme. Si le domaine est récent, on retrouve plusieurs mécaniques qui limitent cette mixité et qui remettent en cause la légitimité des femmes à "performer" en tant que femme et en tant que joueuse au sein de cet univers.