Brazil legend Ronaldo gives significant boost to Esports industry

Every week, Esports is a sector of the sports industry we report on more and more: it is a growing trend that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Opinion may still be divided amongst the wider public, though. It might seem like a terrible waste of time, or it may seem strange to others for whom the thought of ‘professional gaming’ is a bit of a contradiction in terms. To others, it’s the logical next step for the digital age – and what’s more, it’s an activity almost everyone take part in.

It always feels like it’s getting more and more mainstream, though, and from a European perspective, the fact that so many football clubs are buying up official gamers means Esports is likely to take off. In the United States, it’s not just sports teams who are buying teams, though. It’s also sports personalities: NBA stars, for example.

But perhaps the latest news that Brazilian football legend Ronaldo has bought an Esports team will bring the glamour of the industry to South America, too. And the former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan striker’s star in Europe may just hit some headlines, too.

Esports probably needs no extra help at this point. With investment soaring, the next thing the industry needs to do is normalise itself: it’s beginning to get the backing, but needs a mechanism for gaining mainstream attention. And one way of getting that is to add the likes of Ronaldo to the fold.

Well, if he’s half as good at FIFA 17 as he was at his peak….

About author

Chris McMullan
Chris McMullan 831 posts

Chris is a sports journalist and editor of Digital Sport - follow him on Twitter @CJMcMullan_

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