8.1 PRSR 02-10-2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Appendix A – Recreation Trends Analysis 13 E SPORTS TRENDS Esports (electronic sports) according to National Recreation and Park Association (January 2021- Parks and Recreation Magazine) is the fastest-growing sport genre nationally and globally. eGaming is a generic term to describe amusement or recreation using a standalone video game, desktop computer or the internet with one of more players, while esports comprises organized, multiplayer gaming events played in a competitive environment, often by professional gamers. What’s more, spectators watch esports in person or via online channels, such as YouTube and Twitch. Esports have grown in popularity in 2020 as the COVID pandemic has curtailed youth team sports activities. According to accredited Gold Medal parks and recreation agencies (Westerville, OH, South Suburban Parks and Recreation – Denver and Excelsior Springs Missouri where Esports rooms have been built) the pandemic has proven eSports really belongs in parks and recreation. With traditional field and indoor sports suspended, teens have few recreational outlets and eSports address an important need for youth. The inclusion accessibility aspect of esports is an important benefit for youth. In 2019, global annual esports revenues crossed $1 billion — a steep rise from $130 million just seven years ago, according to Newzoo: Esports Insider. A report from Goldman Sachs, titled “Esports: From Wild West to Mainstream,” projects total esports monetization will reach $3 billion by 2022. To put that in perspective, the NBA’s 30 teams combined generated $7.4 billion in 2017. Recognizing the potential of this genre, that same year, the NBA, in a joint venture with Take-Two Interactive, introduced its own esports league, titled NBA 2K League, and the Wall Street Journal estimates this sponsorship to be valued at $1.1 billion over seven years. Along with that, Newzoo’s 2018 Global ESports Market Report projects an estimated audience of more than 550 million viewers by 2021, which translates into a 200 percent growth in viewership in merely five years since 2016. According to Newzoo January 22, 2021 trends report, Esports will continue to grow in 2021 during the pandemic and traditional sports will increasingly look to Esports efforts, especially as they stay consistent or decrease in participation rates.