✍️ Pratyusha Srivastava

🗓️ Apr 15, 2024

Electronic Sports, commonly known as Esports is an industry rapidly growing as the human civilization. For those not familiar, it involves an organized series of competitive video games. The industry today stands for a whopping multi-billion-dollar industry, all thanks to the increasing popularity of video games and the rise of online platforms. Today, Esports not only encompasses mere competition, but also merchandise, advertising, media rights, and more. Given, that the industry growing at a significant pace in recent years, India has emerged as a leader in sports gaming. 

India is no stranger to the glamour of sports, as cricket is considered an emotion to a million hearts here. But with time, cricket was accompanied by several other sports such as Kabaddi, Badminton, Wrestling & even Football, in popularity and viewership. Such shifts in the genre of sports have paved the way for Esports to thrive in the country. 

India’s Emergence as an Esports Powerhouse

In India, Esports has witnessed a growth surge in recent years. As studies show, the market is expected to grow from $40 million in 2022 to $140 million by 2027 with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 32%. The biggest role in the growth of Esports in India goes to the increasing demand for smartphones and affordable internet access especially in urban and semi-urban areas. 

Another major contributor to the growth of Esports in India is the rise of social media and digital streaming platforms. Indian gamers have earned the opportunity to showcase their skills on a global scale through the means of YouTube Gaming, Facebook Gaming, etc. It had created space for the gamers to build communities and engage with an immense scale of audience. 

However, the biggest catalyst for the exponential growth of Esports in India was the COVID-19 pandemic– the time the whole world survived through their smartphones. The team of the world actually witnessed the advancement and influence of the internet on the minds of humans. The time when physical sports events had to be canceled or postponed, gave the industry of Esports the perfect opportunity to market itself as the safest and most accessible alternative to competitive entertainment. 

Government Support Bolsters India’s Esports Industry

With the Esports events drawing large crowds and garnering immense media attention, the government of India, as well, has recognized its potential and participated actively to show their support for advancing India, especially digitally. Above all, exposure to Esports not only inspires entrepreneurship but also initiates active participation of youth for the advancement of the country while also focusing on STEM capabilities.

For this reason, the rise of Esports in India can be said as a true testament to the evolving landscape of sports and entertainment. Though India stands as a leader, there still appears a long way ahead as India is yet to establish itself as a global leader in gaming and Esports— so to provide opportunities for young talents to thrive in the industry.

Want to explore a Career in Sports Management?

Explore ISM GLOBE, a premier sports management institute in Mumbai. ISM GLOBE offers degrees equivalent to an MBA in Sports Management, such as the Post Graduate Program in Sports Management (PGPSM), an eleven-month post-graduation program in Sports Management. Here you can study for six months in Spain and six months in India. There are multiple short-term courses in Sports Management available at ISM GLOBE, making it the best place for a career in sports and sports management degrees.