Hours of training, mega-million wages and brands fighting for sponsorship deals – this might sound like the lifestyle of a famous football player but there is a new in-demand athlete in town.
In the past year, there has been an astronomical surge in the interest of Esports with an audience of 495 million in 2020 – and it is only rising with lockdown shifting the way we consume sports and entertainment. Esports is one step ahead in the world of streaming and is becoming a popular alternative amongst young people who can’t all currently afford the cost of pay per view football.
The rate in which the popularity of Esports is increasing is not unique, however. Football went through a similar growth several years ago and continues to do so today. With that growth in sponsorships and media deals came bigger wage packets for players and judging by emerging trends, Esports is heading the same way.
Slotsup has taken a look back at the increase in the average premier league football wage over the past 20 years to predict what the top Esports professionals will be earning in the next 20 years:
- From 2000 to 2005 there was an increase of +64.2% in the top Premier League footballers wages
- From 2000 to 2010 there was a huge +188.9% increase
- In the past 20 years, from 2000-2020, Premier League footballers wages have increased a whopping +551.7%
Taking the average percentage increase across Premier League earnings, and applying them to the average yearly earnings of the top Esports players taken from the Slotsup Esport Index campaign, we can predict what top Esports professionals have the potential to earn in the future.
- Each year, the top Esports players earn an average of $577,986 per year – already a pretty hefty sum (based on 2019’s figures)
- A 64.2% increase in the next 5 years will mean the average top Esports professional will be earning around $949,053
- A 188.9% increase in the next 10 years will mean the average top Esports professional will be earning around $1,669,802
- An increase of 551.7% in the next 20 years will mean the average top Esports professional will be earning around $3,766,735
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