Shopping is moving online. Esports are going the other way

An esports tournament finals in New York City in 2019. It still surprises many people that professional video-game tournaments fill 50,000-seat arenas and that millions of fans watch from their bedrooms, aspiring to compete themselves one day. — AFP

It still surprises many people that professional video-game tournaments fill 50,000-seat arenas and that millions of fans watch from their bedrooms, aspiring to compete themselves one day. What hasn’t passed some entrepreneurs by, however, is that this is quietly fueling a big market opportunity.

Amateur teams are springing up specialising in esport games such as League Of Legends, Counter-Strike and Dota 2, and they want places to meet and compete. Vacancies in city centres created by the shift to online shopping and magnified by the pandemic are perfectly placed to fill the gap, according to several executives.