The rising wave of eSports and iRacing

eSports – Get into the game

Ah yes, the ever-growing world of eSports. Esports, unlike your traditional physically active sports, eSports is the world of organized, competitive online gaming. Games such as Madden, FIFA, Fortnite, and Rocket League are just a few of the games played in the eSports world. While it may seem like a small market, the data says otherwise.

What do the numbers say? The global audience for Esports from Newzoo’s 2019 report said it will reach 453.8 million, while generating $1.1 billion, which is an increase of 26.7% from last year. Not to mention, the esports global audience is expected to grow to 495 million in 2020.

iRacing

With the rise of esports, esports will only continue to grow as not only a hobby, but a career. With professional sports suspended until the foreseeable future, sports fans have turned to virtual sports for one mode of entertainment. NASCAR, who has suspended races until May 3rd, 2020, saw an opportunity with iRacing and created the eNASCAR iRacing Pro invitational Series. Hence NASCAR iRacing was born.

This invitational series features many of the same drivers that would have been racing in physical cars, but now find themselves in a simulation, one that is extremely lifelike. Take a look at this setup for example.

“First of all, it is extremely realistic,” current NASCAR Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer said days after competing in the first eNASCAR iRacing Pro invitational Series event. “You’re using the same mechanics, the same forces, the same movements as you use in real life to make your car go fast; and that is your hand-eye coordination, your feet.

What this also does is that it gives the fans a neat experience and a fun atmosphere on race day. Other sports are following suit, as IndyCar also transitioned into a 6-race challenge for the time being during this pandemic.

Conclusion

ESports and iRacing are a cool response in the sports realm to the coronavirus pandemic that has eliminated sports for the past month. Not only does it allow the athletes to continue to simulate races on lifelike tracks, but also adds an entertainment value for fans to stay engaged with the drivers and the sport.

Have you been watching or participating in any virtual sports during this time to get your fill of sports? What topic should I cover next? Comment below with your thoughts on iRacing and eSports and their influence on sports! Thanks for reading!