3 Things About Esports You Probably Didn't Know

While esports has a long way to go before it reaches the prominence of the NFL or NBA, it is very possible that some day you will see an Overwatch player as celebrated as any traditional sports stars. That's the long-term goal of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) CEO Bobby Kotick as the game maker gets set to start the first season of the professional Overwatch League next year. Assuming esports continues its rapid ascent, that goal could very well become reality.

The 385 million fans who watch esports are helping to generate roughly $700 million in revenue this year, and that dollar figure is estimated to grow 30% per year through 2020. The rising popularity of esports could even turn competitive gaming into an official Olympic event. This is just one of three signs I will discuss below that illustrate the growing phenomenon of competitive gaming and its long-term potential.

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Source: Fool.com