How to successfully run an esports event 

For those who don’t know, esports events usually consist of amateur or professional video gamers competing against each other for a cash prize and it’s a growing industry in entertainment. 8% of the global esports market is accounted for by the UK and contributes more than £111.5 million to UK GDP each year.  

Gamers spend many hours practising in preparation for a tournament so if you’re thinking about running your own esports event, you need to be ready. From venue considerations to lighting and guest lists, here is everything you need to successfully run an esports event:  

Venue  

Finding a venue that has the right capacity for the guests attending your event will be your first challenge. This will depend on the size of the tournament, and the amount of financial backing you have. For your first event, you could utilise what is available to you for free, like your home or a living room. 

There are around 3,000 professional players so as your tournaments get bigger, community and religious centres or sports clubs are good options. This provides enough room for both participants and spectators.  

Electrics 

You’re hosting a gaming event so you’re going to be surrounded by electrics that are fundamental to the smooth running of a tournament. You’ll need everything from consoles, lighting, audio systems, and video systems. It’s a good idea to have an electrician on site to check the power cables and outlets beforehand to ensure that everything is working as it should be.  

Venue crew  

You need a trained venue crew that is always to hand to help you set up and deal with any malfunctions that happen. You could organise this yourself or see if your venue already has a team that can help out.  

You’ll need to clearly explain what jobs each person will be doing but be careful not to overload anyone! Trusting your crew is important so you can focus on ensuring your spectators and participants are having a great time.  

Travel to other people’s events  

If you’re not sure where to start, take the opportunity to visit other professional or grassroots events to get some inspiration. Some of the best esports events in the UK to look forwards to in 2023 include Warhammer Fest, Retro Games Fair, and Play ExPo. These will give you an idea of what spectators and gamers are looking for.  

This is a paid guest post.