EsportsNext Magazine Fall Edition
The New Economics: Esports' and Gaming's Investment Moment
The Fall 2025 EsportsNext Magazine explores why sophisticated investors are positioning while others retreat. Inside: the audience retention, revenue models, and market misperceptions creating systematic opportunity.
Featured Articles
The Winter Paradox
How Esports' Worst Crisis May Become Its Best Opportunity
As venture capital fled and marketing budgets disappeared, a new class of investors quietly positioned for the next boom—and they're betting on everything the last bubble got wrong.
The Esports Audience That Isn’t Going Anywhere
New research reveals gaming's unshakeable audience foundation
While media giants hemorrhage subscribers and talent, gaming has quietly assembled a loyal audience in entertainment and the business implications are staggering
The Publisher’s Gambit
How Riot Games Is Helping Teams Build Sponsor-Independent Revenue
Esports organizations have found a way to build sustainable income beyond traditional sponsors. The secret weapon? Sharing revenue from the games they already compete in.
FEATURED ESPORTS ARTICLES
Esports’ Best-Kept Revenue Secret How smart organizers are turning hotel bookings into their next growth engine By EventPipeJune 3, 2025Picture the chaos: 5,000 esports fans descending on your city, scrambling for rooms on Booking.com at marked-up rates while your event sees zero commission. Meanwhile, your players are crashing in distant suburbs, families are bleeding cash…
Game On Midwest How Midwest Battleground is transforming the Heartland into esports’ next frontier America’s heartland is quietly upending the digital arena. Midwest Battleground isn’t just another tournament—it’s esports’ evolutionary blueprint. By DuPage Sports CommissionJune 3, 2025America’s heartland is quietly upending the digital arena. Midwest Battleground isn’t just another tournament—it’s esports’ evolutionary blueprint. While coastal…
Cultural Exchange Through Esports GAKU Cultural Bootcamp 2025 Kicks Off in Nagoya Six nations converge in Nagoya for a groundbreaking fusion of competitive gaming and cultural diplomacy, offering North American esports a blueprint for community-centered venues and public-private partnerships ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.By Jorrel Batac, Sayo Okamoto, and Bethany PylesJune 3, 2025From March…
The 2025 ESTA Hall of Fame Honoring the Trailblazers Who Redefined Esports Meet the visionaries, competitors, and industry titans who’ve shaped esports’ explosive trajectory—from basement LAN parties to filling stadiums—as we celebrate this year’s legendary Hall of Fame class.The Esports Trade Associationís most prestigious honor isn’t about celebrating fleeting victories or quarterly profits. Itís about…
The Dallas Difference How DreamHack Built an Esports Powerhouse in Texas The Lone Star State’s unexpected rise as America’s esports capital, where DreamHack’s visionary blueprint has transformed Dallas into a global gaming destination that rivals Seoul and Stockholm.By Greg SmithJune 3, 2025The clock edges past midnight at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown…
Esports Reimagined A Parent’s Doubt, A Gamer’s Rise, and a New Career Playbook Discover the inspiring journey of a mother and son in esports, transforming gaming into a pathway for career innovation and leadership. Their story highlights inclusivity and diversity, showcasing how they’re developing programs that merge esports, mental wellness, and professional growth. Learn about…
HOW A CALL OF DUTY WORLD CHAMPION CONQUERED SIM RACING AND IS NOW TAKING THE MOTORSPORTS WORLD BY STORM Ian Porter is no stranger to the thrill of competition. Known for his dominance in the esports realm as a three-time Call of Duty world champion under his handle Crimsix, Porter has always pushed boundaries and…
THREE MAJOR PLAYERS TEAM UP TO BRING THE BEST TO THE ESPORTS TABLE NASCAR, iRacing and the Esports Trade Association (ESTA) are interconnected through their shared interests in the virtual motorsports and broader esports industry. With esports on the rise and the 2024 EsportsNext conference taking place in Chicago right after the Chicago Street Race,…
TECHNOLOGY IS REVOLUTIONIZING EVENT HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS The esports arena, once the province of intimate gatherings, has exploded into massive spectacles that draw comparisons to the Super Bowl, fueled by a passionate gaming community and the streaming powerhouses of Twitch and YouTube Gaming. As these in-person esports events scale up, with attendance figures soaring to unprecedented…
COMPETITORS PITCH THEIR UNIQUE IDEAS TO BECOME THE NEXT BIG NAME IN ESPORTS The EsportsNext Elevator Pitch Competition represents a pioneering initiative designed to expand and build the ever-growing esports industry. The competition offers a unique platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to present their groundbreaking ideas to a panel of seasoned industry experts, potential investors, and…
ESTA AND EXTRA LIFE’S MISSION FOR LURIE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL In a world where the power of play can transform lives, the Esports Trade Association (ESTA) stands as a beacon of hope and joy for children facing health challenges. Since 2022, ESTA has partnered with the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, bringing…
PERSPECTIVES ON ESPORTS FROM THE MOST-FAMOUS SPORTS AGENT IN THE WORLD Renowned for being the most successful sports agent in history, Leigh Steinberg has represented over 300 athletes from sports like baseball, basketball, boxing and of course NFL football where a record eight No. 1 draft picks have been under his wing. Steinberg’s success as…
