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Learn more about careers in esports

This is an excerpt from Contemporary Sport Management 8th Edition With HKPropel Access by Paul M. Pedersen.

By BerNadette Lawson-Williams, Dina Gentile, Minna Rollins

The esports market requires qualified professionals to sustain the esports workforce. Due to growing demand among the industry, esports ­career opportunities have significantly increased in recent years. Similar to ­career skills relevant to the sport management field, many ­careers in the esports industry require the use of both soft skills and technical skills in a variety of areas, such as proj­ect management, marketing, media, promotions, and consumer relations. Specific employment opportunities within the esports ecosystem vary, most of which are created by the corporations that are responsible for developing, publishing, marketing, or selling video games, such as Epic Games, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, and EA Sports. Esports ­career areas include esports arena management, graphic arts, esports marketing and sponsorship, esports social media, and esports retailing and merchandising. Examples of ­careers within the vari­ous areas of esports include:

• Brand marketing man­ag­er
• Business development man­ag­er
• Business operations man­ag­er
• Communications and public relations man­ag­er
• Engineering man­ag­er
• Esports agent
• Esports event man­ag­er
• Game designer
• Lead product identity designer
• Live operations man­ag­er
• Principal revenue strategist
• Product man­ag­er
• ­Senior product analyst
• Software engineer
• Technical producer
• Visual designer

In an effort to prepare students to acquire the skills necessary for gaining employment in the esports and gaming industries, some high schools, colleges, and universities offer esports-­related courses or curricula. In addition, many leading esports companies provide practicums or internship opportunities to students aspiring to gain esports industry experience.

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The Convergence of Sports and Esports: Unlocking A New ­Career Pathway

When Alexia acquired a four-­month internship with the National Football League (NFL) while in her second year of law school, she did not realize that her work in sport would ­later provide her with the opportunity to obtain ­career success in the esports industry. Upon graduation, she was afforded the opportunity to participate in a postgraduate fellowship program. As a fellow, she received more hands-on ­legal experience; ­after completing her fellowship, she was hired as a full-­time staff member. In this capacity, her duties entailed managing all ­legal aspects for the ­organization, including conducting research and analyzing contracts. A few years ­later, Alexia was promoted to a position in the football operations department and was tasked with managing game operations and rules administration. Her responsibilities in this role included creating, enforcing, and applying the playing rules, as well as other policies that govern the integrity of the game. Additionally, she advised on issues related to competitive equity, the appeals ­process, and player health and safety, and she ensured gameday compliance for preseason, regular-­season, and postseason games. Alexia was even provided with the opportunity to work with mega sport events, such as the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl, and the NFL Draft.

When a ­career opportunity with a leading esports corporation became available, she interviewed and was selected to serve as the head of esports operations. In this capacity, she oversaw the com­pany’s global standards, competitive infrastructure, and match operations for more than 10 regions. She applied her background in sport to the esports sector, as well as her understanding of the convergence of the sport and esports industries, including consumer be­hav­ior, generation of revenue, and the role of sponsorships. The experiences that she acquired working with sport and esports businesses also enhanced her understanding of the similarities between ­these two economic power­houses.

More Excerpts From Contemporary Sport Management 8th Edition With HKPropel Access

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