The English Premier League (EPL) is all about football of the upmost level. Well, almost. It turns out EPL teams also have a sweet spot for Bitcoin and blockchain, or so it would appear from a recently-concluded partnership between nine EPL teams and eToro whose logo, while not exclusively on the jerseys of the signees, will be featured in the background during special segments and interviews.
eToro is all set to bring blockchain and help football fully-embrace it. Speaking about football and innovative assets, we would be remiss not to talk about esports. Some of the least performing teams in the EPL, to name West Ham, have been quite successful at cultivating top talent in the competitive video gaming industry.
Beyond the Known Frontier
Football teams have been quite susceptible to exploring new opportunities. A fair number have signed with Betway, one of the flagship gambling companies out there, which takes punts on the outcome of both mainstream sports, notably football, and explores the eSports segment in full.
Bookmakers have been coming in all shapes and forms. You have your endemic ones, such as the aforementioned, but you also have the endemic or industry-specific ones, such as Arcane Bet who have introduced some of the most tempting bonuses out there, whether you bet on FIFA or another flagship title.
This is a strange and most certainly – a binding constellation of industries that outwardly have very little to do with football and yet they are becoming an inherent part to all that we have ever had in mind about the competition. As one of the most unifying games on the planet, football has this strange way of creating sound bonds between people and allowing them to explore new opportunities for business and fans alike.
The EPL Is a Cradle of Future eSports Boom!
It’s more than likely to see football teams engaged in real esports competitions backed by various blockchain-powered solutions. It’s true that EPL teams are not as well represented as other football teams outside the competition. And yet Manchester City and West Ham have a solid base of fans that are eager to find out how the teams perform in the latest EA FIFA competition.
And yet, there is a lot to be done for the mainstream focus to shift from football and cryptocurrencies and video games to steal the spotlight. However, one thing is clear – there is a lot of promise in the segment. The English teams can learn from the success of French-based Paris Saint-Germain who managed to field a strong team in popular video game Dota 2, clinching second place. The event sported well over $24 million in prize money, which is not a trifle sum even by the standards of the EPL.
Improving Viewership Experience – A Possibility?
Football always wants to add more viewers so as to boost the proceedings from selling brand rights. This is quite possible indeed. The embrace of new technologies, participating in these specific fields and appealing to youthful audience are the building blocks of a better viewership experience.
Ultimately, sports are hoping to convert a lot of the eSports enthusiast, but this has been going the other way instead. There is no shame in that either. Both Man City and West Ham have a strongly pronounced eSports divisions and cover these events well so as to boost awareness. The conversion rate has been so far quite remarkable. By creating their eSports teams, PSG, Man City and West Ham are known names among youths who are not particularly interested in football for example.
And where some see unathletic youths, there is real evidence suggesting that these young man and women are actually interested in sports. They just swap out the traditional team games for things like cycling to work, for example.
Living in the Age Where Physically Active Doesn’t Mean Sport
Going to the gym has taken precedence over “doing sports” as it is. With this in mind, EPL’s involvement with eSports is just a perfect example of how easy it is to benefit from the multifariousness of tapping into hitherto overlooked segments. Esports are truly going to change things up for the entire football community – sooner or later makes little odds as it has already begun.
