Le Mans eSports launches at the UK home of motorsport

Computer gaming is changing the sports and leisure sector in ways we are only beginning to comprehend. Over recent years, the eSports phenomenon has taken hold, acquiring a steady increase in participation, viewers and most important of all, commercial interest and sponsorship. Yet anyone who thinks that eSports is all about fantasy battle arenas and first person shooters needs to think again.

The evolution of eSports

To take a step back for a moment, let’s look at what we mean by eSport. Essentially it is competitive computer gaming, whereby players can participate in league and team events from all across the world. To date, it has mostly been associated with a handful of games – League of Legends, DOTA 2 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive are what are known as multiplayer online battle arena games, and have sparked the interest in eSports.

Coverage has gone from relatively obscure streaming apps and sharing coverage on platforms like YouTube to coverage by some of the biggest names in sport, including ESPN and the BBC. Simultaneously, sponsors like Mercedes and backers such as Joe Montana have got behind the new dynamic. And so, the snowball has grown, leading to more viewers and peripheral activities. For example, a look at https://www.esports-betting.pro/ shows how many sites are now offering eSports betting, just as they would on any other sport.

When eSport and sport collide

The thing about gaming is that it covers so many genres. When you think about it, any of them can adapt to the eSport model, and an obvious example is in sports games themselves. FIFA and the NBA have each stuck a tentative toe into the eSports water in basketball and football respectively. For the latter, the NBA 2K league has proved immensely successful, and it is little surprise that other sports are quick to follow.

Driving eSports success

The latest sport to enter the fray is one that lends itself particularly well to gaming. Driving games have always been popular, from those earliest days of Monaco Grand Prix or Out Run in the arcades to the latest versions of Grand Turismo. Now, virtual racers will have a chance to compete in the most iconic race of them all – and the winner will get to stand on the Podium at Le Mans 2019.

The Le Mans eSport series was formally unveiled at the Silverstone circuit last month. In its 70 odd years, Silverstone has seen its share of innovation and development, but this could be the most profound change yet. Already, there is a prize pot of $100,000 on offer, and with big name backing, expect uptake to be huge, and subsequent years to only get bigger.

Multiple Formula One champion and 2018 Le Mans winner Fernando Alonso was there for the launch – and he has already launched an eSports team of his own. He told reporters: “The possibilities of eSports are unlimited,” and added that the platforms used by gamers also have applications for real-world racing, as they form the basis for the simulators used by professional drivers.

It is just one example of how eSports is blurring the boundaries between the physical and the virtual – and it is only the beginning.