6 Careers in Esports Besides Gamer

james

Nov 16, 2022
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Esports has been on the rise for a few years, and it’s recently seen an explosion in participation across the industry. The COVID-19 pandemic kept people indoors and caused many changes in the gaming industry. Platforms like Twitch have millions of active streamers, most of whom record themselves playing video games. Though, there are opportunities to step foot in the industry. Here are the six best careers in esports besides being a gamer.

1. Journalist

Do you like to write stories? Do you want to meet industry professionals and connect with them? If you do, pursuing a career as an esports journalist is a good career path. Modern journalism has shifted from newspapers and TV screens to a broader approach, including the internet and digital media. 

As an esports journalist, you’ll write stories about events, features about gamers and others in the industry, editorials, and other types of content. For journalists, two essential pieces of success are making good connections and maintaining those relationships. You can break news and become a respected source if your sources are good.

A job similar to a journalist is a content creator. You can work for yourself on a YouTube channel, for example, or you could work for a media company. These creators post videos of highlights, top 10 countdowns, opinions and commentary, predictions, and more. Content creators who can gain traction with followers and engagement can monetize their videos, making it one of the terrific jobs in social media and careers in esports.

2. Social Media Specialist

In today’s world, social media has become an integral part of marketing. Companies use applications like Twitter, Facebook,and Instagram to publish advertisements and interact with the online community. If you are social media savvy, there is a path to a career as an esports social media specialist. 

The worlds of esports and social media are growing concurrently. In 2021, the esports market revenue produced $243 million in the United States and $360 million in China. Social media had over 4 billion users worldwide in 2021, and experts project the number will only increase over the next decade. With these two industries rising together, networks like ESPN have noticed, and the demand for social media specialists is high.

3. Referee

Are you a rules follower, and do you enjoy enforcing rules? Referees have a thankless job in any sport, but their role is essential. In esports, the need for officiating is crucial. To be a referee, you need to be an excellent communicator and decision-maker. 

While the games are happening, you must watch for any irregularities or cheating. You have to be decisive and firm when assessing your rulings if anything wrong occurs. Knowledge of the game you’re officiating is essential. So, if you have these skills and are an expert at these games, being an esports referee or administrator could be a career for you.

4. Coach

Being an esports coach is a terrific career path if you know the ins and outs of the rules and you like building interpersonal relationships with others. The esports industry is still relatively new, so now is an opportune time to get your foot in the door with coaching. You’ll train and prepare players for matches against rival squads as a team leader. Effective coaches will help their players stay motivated, disciplined and team-oriented.

Like many roles, experience is vital before becoming an esports coach. For example, having a history of coaching little league sports can be an advantage. You may need to start in amateur leagues, but if you succeed with your teams, you can work your way up into more professional venues.

5. Event Manager

Do you like logistics, planning, and seeing a task through from start to finish? Many industries need event managers who play a critical role in esports. These managers are responsible for organizing these massive events, from amateur tournaments in a local venue to televised events on ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and other networks. 

Event managers can have various roles, but they are often liaisons who manage every nook and cranny of an esports gaming event. They may interact with business partners, production and broadcast crews, and marketing teams. Event managers are behind the curtains ensuring everything works so that the production runs smoothly.

6. College Recruiter

When you go to college, athletes usually play sports on a field or a court. However, esports is taking collegiate matches to the console and monitor. Colleges and universities are picking up esports even though the NCAA declined to sanction the sport in 2019. The participating institutions compete under the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Some Division 1 schools in this league are Boise State, Georgia State, Miami University (Ohio), and Ohio State University.

College athletics in any sport need recruiters and scouts to evaluate talent and persuade them to play for the school. Esports recruiters will go to events and watch prospects as they play games. Titles like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Fortnite are popular among college esports teams. College athletes have an excellent opportunity to earn sponsorship money through name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, so college recruiting has become as important as ever.

Finding Your Footing With Careers in Esports

Esports has grown remarkably in the past few years, especially since the pandemic. Streaming on platforms like Twitch, Tik Tok, Twitter, and more has made broadcasting video games more accessible to people in their homes. This rise has led to a wealth of opportunities for careers in esports besides being a gamer. One of these six jobs could be right for you.

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