Digital esport læringsportal

Abstract

This thesis examines how the Danish esports organization, ES North A/S, otherwise known as North, can achieve a fiscal result of 5m DKK in 3 years, through means different from pure participation in competitive esports events. Externally and internally data collected through desk research, support an argument ultimately finding that North needs to build a digital learning platform for esports, targeting enthusiasts and bright minds alike, to achieve viable growth results independent of their competitive activities.
Current trends find esports to be an industry experiencing rapid growth. Esports is an untapped market outside the world of business. Socio-politically speaking, esports can be the growth factor manifesting in the Danish educational system, accommodating an identified future need of 19.000 IT specialists in Denmark, by 2030. Additionally, the customers; fans; and participants in esports communities all share similar demands for their experience in consuming esports – a constant stream of high-quality content is the basic demand that esports organizations need to accommodate. Moreover, this thesis finds a customer need for cognitive development through digital learning – a golden opportunity for North’s need to differentiate themselves through a digital esports learning platform.
Currently holding back esports this thesis finds inter alia a lack of regulating bodies and sociological beliefs concerning views about esports not being a real sport from society in general. Additionally, the current negative connotations and social stigma revolving esports diminish the revenue per fan, compared to traditional sports – this is, however, noted to be a generational problem, that time and market-nurturing will take care of in tandem with the surfacing of more esports-enthusiasts facilitated by technological and demographic development.
Fierce competition by Copenhagen Flames and the publicly-listed behemoth, Astralis, highlights the need for North to differentiate themselves outside of competitive activities. This leads to the proposed strategy of developing a digital esports learning platform which should be ready for launch by the beginning of 2021. The launch of the digital learning platform should happen through a front-loaded campaign utilizing paid promotions and strategically picked influencers, presumably esports streamers. By 2021, paid and earned media should account for 60/35 pct. of the traffic of potential customers, developing to 35/50 pct. by 2023, with owned media accounting for the remaining difference.