eSports are shifting the focus of Australia’s sporting passion

Whether or not you’re a gamer, you’ve probably heard about eSports – because these video game battles are attracting the crowds. The Australian eSports fan base has more than doubled in the past two years, and the vast majority (66%) of those fans are between the ages of 18 and 34, and mostly male. This demographic has always been well represented in traditional physical sports, but has more recently shifted to gaming. It’s one sign of how Australia’s deep passion for sport is changing. And women gamers are also going professional. With fewer people attending major traditional sporting codes compared to the same time 10 years ago, media and sporting organisations are taking note.