1st Edition

Exploring Esports Players, Fans, and the Esports Industry

By Hee Jung Hong, Sungkyung Kim Copyright 2026
220 Pages 26 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

220 Pages 26 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

220 Pages 26 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This fascinating new book lifts the lid on the rapidly growing esports industry to examine its human dimension, exploring the career paths, performance, and wellbeing of esports players, as well as the marketing, media, and venue strategies that can keep fans engaged across the life course. The book introduces the fundamentals of esports for the reader who may not have prior knowledge,... Read more

Part I: Esports in Sport Psychology 

1          Introduction to Esports

2          Parental Involvement, Support, and Pressure for Esports Players

3          Life Skills Development and Transfer in Esports

4          Esports Players’ Physical and Mental Wellbeing

5          Career Transition Out of Esports 

Part II: Esports in Sport Marketing 

6          Motivations for Streaming and Viewing

7          Esports Event Venue Marketing

8          Esports Fan Behaviour: Multiple Identifications

9          Sponsorship in Esports

10        Market Segmentation: Silver Marketing and Women-centric Marketing 

Conclusion

Biography

Hee Jung Hong is Associate Professor in Sport at the University of Stirling, UK. Her research interests include career transitions in sport, dual careers of athletes, athletes’ career development and management, athletes’ welfare and wellbeing, and the application of sport psychology in esports.

Sungkyung Kim is Assistant Professor in Sport Management at the University of Stirling, UK. He has two primary areas of research that address contemporary challenges in public policy and consumer behaviour. The first strand of research focuses on policy public relations and the second centres on technology adoption to understand consumer behaviours.