Esports stardom is about more than just playing the game,
Hundreds of esports leagues, titles, and tournaments compete for the attention of avid fans This can make it more and more important for each of them to stand out. One way teams and leagues win those fans is through players. Fast hands, quick decision-making and good communication skills make an esports player valuable to his or her team. But it’s not all that matters. Just like in traditional sports, what an athlete does outside of the competition adds — or subtracts — the value they bring to a team.
One key way newer sports achieve crossover success is having athletes with mass appeal. Great talent helps attract current fans to a certain player or team, but it doesn’t always do the trick to reach new fans. Even if they are elite, if the average person doesn’t know the ins and outs of a sport it can be hard to move the needle.
Take snowboarding. Shaun White’s skill in the halfpipe got him on the radar of snowboarding fans, but his personal brand is what made him a star. He engages with fans online and in person, he talks about his passions outside of snowboarding, which helps him connect with new audiences. Diehard fans always tune in, but he made casual fans care about him and his sport in a way they never had before. This made him extremely valuable to the snowboarding industry, event promoters, and potential sponsors.
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