Horse racing is one of few sports that stood the test of time and it is now considered one of the oldest sports in the world with a huge fan base.

But what about esports? Can the relatively new industry achieve the same level of success as the long-standing equestrian sport?

Let's take a closer look.

The Rise of Esports

First, let's talk about what eSports actually is. Put simply, eSports are competitive video game tournaments. Players compete against each other in games like League of Legends, Overwatch, and Fortnite for prize money, bragging rights, and even scholarship opportunities.

Esports has been around for decades, but it's only been in recent years that the industry has really taken off. In 2020, the esports industry was valued at over $1 billion, and that number is only expected to grow in the coming years.

The Similarities Between Esports and Horse Racing

At first glance, it might seem like esports and horse racing have nothing in common. But if you look a little closer, you'll see that there are actually quite a few similarities between the two industries.

For one thing, both eSports and horse racing require a certain level of skill and strategy. According to TwinSpires, in horse racing, the jockey must navigate the horse through the track while making split-second decisions based on the movements of the other horses.

Similarly, eSports players must make quick decisions and react to their opponent's moves in order to come out on top.

In addition, both industries rely heavily on sponsorships and advertising dollars to stay afloat. Just like a racehorse might be sponsored by a particular brand of feed or equipment, eSports players are often sponsored by gaming companies and other brands.

Just to have an idea about the difference in popularity, the most watched eSports event was Free Fire World Series in 2021 achieving 5.4 million viewers, which has a long way to go to reach the Kentucky Derby all-time high of 16 million views.

The Challenges Facing Esports

Even though both sports share similarities, they are also quite different. In order for eSports to achieve the same success as horse racing, it needs to surpass many challenges.

Firstly, the concept of esports is still relatively new, which means that it hasn't had as much time to build up a dedicated fan base.

Additionally, eSports is more focused on the younger demographic that is actually interested in games, whereas horse racing has a much wider demographic.

However, with the huge rise of eSports in recent years, we can definitely expect that the industry could grow as big as horse racing, if not more.

The eSports industry is still niche focused, meaning that there aren’t many games that actually have official tournaments. However, this will change in the future as more competitive games come out, and this will increase the overall fan base.

Finally, there's the issue of regulation. Horse racing is tightly regulated to ensure the safety of both horses and riders, as well as to prevent cheating. Esports, on the other hand, is largely unregulated, which has led to concerns over issues like player safety and fair play.

The Future of Esports

So, can the esports industry achieve the same success as horse racing? Only time will tell. But there's no denying that the industry has already come a long way in a relatively short amount of time.

The fact that the horse racing industry is declining in popularity and on the other hand eSports is achieving a new all-time highest in viewership gives you an idea about where the sport is headed.

As technology continues to improve and more people become interested in esports, it's likely that the industry will continue to grow and evolve. Who knows - in a few decades, we might be watching esports tournaments on the same level as the Kentucky Derby or the Belmont Stakes.