eSports Fans May Be An Advertiser's Dream Come True

No sport would be complete without its fans and eSports is probably quite thankful to the many who cheer the players on in tournaments around the world. A Nielsen report released Thursday reveals eSports fans fall in the coveted male 18 to 34 demographic with pretty decent spending power. That could make competitive gaming even more attractive to potential partners.

The Nielsen eSports Report surveyed 1,000 fans over the age of 13 along with 200 non-fans who were aware of competitive gaming. Much of the data dispels commonly held beliefs about the typical eSports fan.

While many popular games -- such as "League of Legends" "Dota 2" or "Counter-Strike" -- are for the PC, eSports fans are mostly console gamers. Only 35 percent of surveyed eSports fans play on a PC. Fans playing on any system (gaming console or PC) totaled 90 percent while fans who only played on consoles represented 78 percent of participants. In the Nielsen report, 10 percent of fans did not play video games.

What may not surprise people is the heavily male population of eSports fans. Competitive gaming fans skewed younger than U.S. gamers, according to Nielsen. The average age of an eSports fan was 32, with 57 percent being millennials. The mean total household income was $64,900. Most eSports fans engaged with competitive gaming using the Internet and online streaming platforms such as Twitch. There's even daily fantasy eSports, set up by DraftKings.

Considering eSports can draw thousands of fans, it's no surprise that the burgeoning sport has led to television deals and lucrative partnerships. There are two channels in South Korea dedicated to eSports, Sports Illustrated noted.