Why Esports World Cup sponsors aren’t in it for the viewership

Three weeks into the inaugural Esports World Cup, which wraps up on August 25, the jury is out on whether the event is living up to the hype thus far. Despite the uncertainty, sponsors such as PepsiCo and Mastercard believe that the Esports World Cup’s marketing value extends far beyond the event’s viewership metrics.

The Esports World Cup kicked off on July 3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, featuring a record-breaking $60 million prize pool and competitions in popular esports such as “League of Legends” and “Counter-Strike.” Since then, exactly how good the event’s viewership has been is a matter of who you ask.

The Esports World Cup has certainly exceeded the viewership numbers put up last year by its predecessor, Gamers8, with average viewership growing by nearly 8 percent, according to official EWC partner Esports Charts. On the other hand, some observers have pointed out that the event’s average viewership numbers have been lower than other tentpole gaming and esports events such as Games Done Quick, an annual speedrunning gathering, or the League of Legends World Championship.

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