The Future of Esports: Tournaments EVERY Sports Business Student Should Watch

Esports has grown to become a billion-dollar industry with people millions of viewers and financial opportunities for companies, investors, and players. As a sports business student, it is important to identify how esports is impacting the sports industry in order to remain successful in this field. This blog discusses how esports is changing the sports industry and lists the top EA Sports tournaments to keep your eyes on in 2025.

The Importance of Esports in the Sports Business Landscape

Esports has grown to become a $1.6 billion market in 2024 based on the growth in viewership and new revenue streams. The number of eSports viewers is expected to reach 611 million in 2024, with 302 million constant viewers and 308 million casual viewers in North America (Yogonet, 2024).

Without, for example, about 108.3 million from Canada, and more fans engage with their favorite games through legal betting platforms. The total amount comes to $288.9 million in the global market, and no brands are failing to realize the potential of a young, tech-savvy audience interested in eSports, they can target through sponsorships and advertising (Yogonet, 2024).

Esports is a unique case study in media rights, franchising models, and sponsorship activation from an academic perspective. As other universities such as th University of Salford are beginning to include courses on the business of esports into their curricula as the field continues to grow. For students planning to work in sports marketing, event management, or brand sponsorship, esports is a sector that cannot be ignored (The University of Salford, n.d.).

The Top EA Sports Tournaments in 2025

NBA 2K25 League Tournament – 2025

The NBA 2K League has redefining what it means for sports and esports to intersect by bringing in actual NBA teams. It gives insight into franchised esports leagues, sponsorship money, and how virtual basketball is monetized. They can examine how teams earn money from selling merchandise, digital content, and partnerships with big names like Microsoft and AT&T (Nicholson, 2024).

FC 25 Pro Tournament –2025

EA Sports' FC 25 Pro Tournament is still the king of the virtual football world. With millions of players around the globe and the support of FIFA and major football clubs, it shows how esports is integrated with traditional sports clubs. The financial back of this competition is evident through sponsorships like Adidas, Red Bull, and electronic payment platforms. This tournament is one students of sponsorship activation and digital fan engagement cannot afford to miss (FC Pro, n.d.).

NFL 25 Esports Championship – 2025

This coming 2025 Madden Bowl will take place in London, making it the first Madden Championship Series event to be held outside of the United States. The Madden NFL 25 Esports Championship is a great example of how traditional sports leagues are spending their money on esports to reach out to younger fans. This tournament is backed by the NFL and has big name sponsors, TV deals, and marketing strategies. Students can learn from the examples of large sports brands’ use of gaming as a way to increase their fan base, engagement, and revenue.

Esports is now an integral part of the sports industry and there are many career opportunities in marketing, event planning, media rights, and sponsorship management, meaning that students of sports business can get a real understanding of the commercial aspects of esports and its rising importance in the global sports economy by following these major tournaments.

Reference List:

FC Pro (n.d.) FC Pro 2025: Need to know - FC Pro. [online] FC Pro. Available at: https://www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-fc/fc-pro/news/fc-pro-2025-need-to-know [Accessed 6th March]

Nicholson, J., (2024) NBA 2K League to undergo major revamp. [online] Esports Insider. Available at: https://esportsinsider.com/2024/07/nba-2k-league-2025-revamp#:~:text=The%202K%20League%20also%20noted,and%20changes%20to%20the%20league [Accessed 6 Mar. 2025]

Nicholson, J., (2024b) NFL 25’s Madden Bowl heads to London for first international MCS event. [online] Esports Insider. Available at: https://esportsinsider.com/2025/02/madden-bowl-2025-london-event [Accessed 6 Mar. 2025]

The University of Salford, (n.d.) HND Esports Business Management | University of Salford. [online] University of Salford. Available at: https://www.salford.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/esports-business-management [Accessed 6th March 2024]

Yogonet, (2024) Global eSports revenue surpasses $1.6 billion milestone | Yogonet International. [online] Global eSports Revenue Surpasses $1.6 Billion Milestone. Available at: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2024/12/23/89525-global-esports-revenue-surpasses-16-billion-milestone [Accessed 6th March 2024]