Introduction to Esports: Task 2 – Structure.

In this research task you will explore how esports is organized and structured
in the UK.

Students must fill out each box below to the expected minimum word count, all research
sources should be link at the bottom of each box, Wikipedia does not count as a research
source. Source links do not make up total word count of a question box.

What role does the government play?

In 2020, a government response to a committee recommendation included details of how the
government recognise the potential that esports retains as an industry and has the ability to
flourish into a national strength in the UK. The government are also aware of the growing online
viewing audience surrounding esports and the link being made between traditional sports and
esports such as the Formula 1 virtual Grand Prix.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-digital-culture-media-sport-
select-committee-report-on-immersive-and-addictive-technologies/government-response-to-the-digital-
culture-media-sport-select-committee-report-on-immersive-and-addictive-technologies#:~:text=As%20a
%20first%20step%2C%20the,in%20areas%20such%20as%20player

How is esports defined under UK law?

The UK government does not officially recognise esports as a sport, and is instead seen as a game
(such as chess), though it has been universally agreed through the government that esports is a
positive avenue of potential new investment. Despite their being no specific UK laws that regard
esports, it is absolutely well known and recognised.

https://esportsinsider.com/2023/05/esports-around-the-world-united-kingdom#:~:text=Government
%20Recognition,about%20esports%20in%20the%20UK.

What role do the British Esports Association play?

The British Esports Association was established in 2016 as a non-profit organisation with an
overarching aim to increase national awareness of esports along with raising the standards in the
industry. The association is primarily focused on the grassroots level of esports by funding esports
at this level along with running their very own British Esports Championships for students across
the country in both schools and colleges. Further aims are to educate the potentially uninformed
such as parents, teachers, media, policy makers, and the government regarding the esports
industry.

https://britishesports.org/about-us/
 How does esports fit within the wider video game industry?
The very root of esports comes from the developers and publishers of video games. Without the
creation of video games, there is no esports. In light of this, video game developers and publishers
may wish to gear their game towards the esports industry by considering the competitive balance
of the game, accessibility to smooth tournament productions (ex. replay/spectator systems), and
IP rights. Furthermore, game development companies may choose to run their own tournaments
for their own game, for example Riot Games’ VALORANT and League of Legends tournament
series, Blizzard’s Overwatch League and Call of Duty League, and Psyonix’s Rocket League
Championship Series.

https://www.videogameseurope.eu/isfe-esports/esports-a-complete-guide-by-the-video-games-
industry/#:~:text=They%20are%20an%20important%20part,and%20backed%20by%20global
%20brands.

What tournaments take place in the UK?

A great variety of tournaments take/have taken part in the UK, from grassroots to amateur to
professional play. One major recent example includes ALGS 2023 (Apex Legends Global Series)
which was a 2,000,000 USD tournament held in the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham. A further
major example was the League of Legends World Championship 2015, a 2,130,100 USD
tournament with a section of it hosted in the SSE Arena Wembley, London.

https://esportsinsider.com/2023/05/esports-around-the-world-united-
kingdom#:~:text=Government%20Recognition,about%20esports%20in%20the%20UK.

Your lecturer will inform you of how to hand in on Moodle ready for the work to be
checked, this will also need to be uploaded to the Unit 1 page on your WIX website.

Resources

Organisation and structure of esports

www. britishesports.org/
Contains lots of information and resources about esports in the UK and beyond

www.globalesports.org
Home of the Global Esports Federation

www.esportseuruope.org
Home of the European Esports Federation