Sportification of Esports: A Systematization of Sport-Teams Entering the Esports Ecosystem

Traditional sports organizations have increasingly entered the esports ecosystem, and this study systematizes that movement by cataloguing 418 sports teams and individual sports investors active in esports through the end of 2019. Entries peaked in 2018 before slowing in 2019. Eight entry types are identified, extending a prior seven-type framework with a category for individual investors. No single dominant strategy emerges, though the most common forms, team-based and league-linked participation, are heavily driven by football, and in some cases national leagues have mandated esports participation. The dataset likely undercounts actual activity because of search and language limitations, the cutoff at 2019, and the omission of regions such as China as well as collegiate programs.

The entrants are concentrated in dedicated esports leagues (45%) and individual players (24%), while brand-driven strategies such as single-game team sponsorship (12%) and sports franchise purchases (6%) account for a smaller share. The United States, Japan, and Germany lead by team count, yet each follows a distinct model: franchising in North America, top-down association mandates in Germany, and development-oriented approaches in Japan. Case studies of clubs such as SSV Lehnitz, FC Schalke 04, and Paris Saint Germain show strategies shifting repeatedly, underscoring that the commercial payoff of esports participation remains uncertain.

The authors conclude that the sportification of esports takes varied regional forms, with franchise-based models in North America, grassroots club structures in Europe, and development-oriented strategies in Asia-Pacific. Esports functions as a testing ground for digitizing sports businesses and may offer access to a younger audience. However, the paper emphasizes high volatility and risk, citing rising franchise costs, frequent title turnover, and struggling leagues such as the Overwatch League as threats to sustained commitment. Sports organizations often lack the expertise to choose games wisely and must learn esports' distinct digital logic rather than transferring traditional sports practices directly. The study argues that success depends on precise strategy and a willingness to learn, since teams that approach esports as conventional sports risk long-term lock-in.