Have you ever dreamed of leading a team of top gamers to victory in major tournaments? If yes, we’ve got the guide to surely set you on your way, right here. The subsequent paragraphs reveal how to start an esports team, as we discuss sure fire tricks to building a brand, managing a team, and making strategic decisions. Choices that will see your gaming team climb to the top of the esports world.
There’s never been a better time to start an esports team, with the global esports market projected to surpass $10 billion by 2032. Competitive gaming teams are at the forefront of this growth, and one of the best ways to tap into the potential of this growing market is to own a successful team. While the financial gain is exciting, doing so while achieving personal and collective goals can be thrilling.
Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just passionate about esports, this guide is your ticket to starting a successful esports team. Let’s dive in and turn your gaming dreams into reality!
Contents
The Planning Phase of Starting an Esports Team
Understand the Cost
Creating and running an esports team can be expensive. Understanding the costs involved and planning your budget to reflect this cost is essential.
Everything requires money, from setting up a training space to buying equipment, covering travel expenses, paying team members, and paying tournament fees.
You can reduce some of these costs, but others require more investment. For example, you might negotiate a compensation plan for your players, such as only paying them when they win tournaments.
However, it would help if you always aimed to provide your players with the best gear and a high-quality internet connection. These are crucial for daily practice and top performance in competitions.
Also, think about where your money will come from. It’s wise to have a financial buffer for unexpected expenses. Like any business owner, an esports team owner needs to understand basic accounting or hire someone who helps manage the budget and finances.
Have Your Fortress of Solitude
To be in the best competitive shape, you should have a place to train unhindered daily. The best esports teams have dedicated gaming houses where players live and practice.
However, you don’t have to build a custom gaming house. You could begin with a small area, like a room, and gradually upgrade it as the team grows. Renting an apartment is also a decent idea if your budget allows it.
If your budget doesn’t cover setting up a physical space, you could let your players connect online to practice. However, this option won’t be as effective for enhancing teamwork and communication as having them train together in a physical space would. Also, you’ll still need to cover internet costs, and keeping tabs on individual gamers can be challenging.
Pick Your Game and Genre
There are many exciting game possibilities when choosing an esports game. Multiplayer Online Battle Alliance (MOBA), First Person Shooter (FPS), Real Time Strategy (RTS), and Fighting games are the most popular genres. You may be tempted to choose a MOBA title like League of Legends, which is statistically the most-watched esports game, or DOTA, whose flagship tournament, “The International,” recorded the highest-ever prize pool of any esports title in 2021.
However, the problem with these choices is that they’re already widespread and have some of the best esports players ever. Therefore, guiding your new team would be a challenge for which you might still need to be ready. The reality isn’t different for other top genres like RTS, Fighting, or FPS.
Advisably, opt for titles that are lesser known but still offer you a competitive edge and reasonable prize pools. As you succeed in these games and gain confidence, you can gradually go up the ranks and increase your team profile.
You can also start with any of the big games. If your recruitment is good, you can win national or regional competitions and get a chance to compete in global tournaments like the Esports World Cup.
It’s best to initially focus your team on being competitive in one game, especially if you’re starting in management. You’ll have a relatively regulated workload, but just enough to gain experience to expand to other titles at the right time. However, you can start with multiple games if you have the resources.
Outline Your Vision and Goals
A clearly defined vision is central to the success of your esports team. Perhaps more importantly, you also need a set of goals designed to be like roadmaps toward your team’s vision. Communicate your team’s objectives to your players and ensure they work actively to achieve them.
If you dream of becoming the best esports team in your continent, it starts with setting goals like dominating local competitions. Once you dominate these competitions, aim to dominate national tournaments. If you achieve this goal, you’ll eventually compete in international competitions and edge closer to your goal. Set achievable goals that can inspire your team to give their all daily.
Setup Your Esports Team
Recruit Talents
Understanding how to find the right players is integral when starting an esports team. It’s a simple analogy; the players win or lose matches for you. Since your esports team’s success relies on gaming prowess, put all you’ve got into it.
There are many ways to scout players, and one of the most effective is organizing tryouts. You can also browse through online gaming communities for their most talked-about players. Check out competitive gaming forums for the best players yet to be tied to an esports team.
Scouting players is a procedure you should perform diligently. Aim beyond gaming skills: teamwork, communication, passion, endurance, and the ability to work under pressure are also crucial attributes.
Player contracts are another aspect you would have to work on. Meet with your legal team to prepare contracts clearly stating the terms, obligations, events, compensation structure, revenues, and other essential elements.
Know Your Carry
You’ve scouted your players, and it’s time to make them into a team. Identify your players’ strengths and weaknesses and assign them roles to match. Putting the right players into the appropriate roles is essential to creating a formidable team.
Select a team captain who is usually the most strategic of the lot and is responsible for giving in-play advice to the entire team to aid performance. The best player can be the Carry, who team members can rely on to deal damage to opponents. You can also assign roles to other players based on their skill set.
You don’t need to be the man for the job if you can employ a coach. Top esports teams usually have a coach who oversees training sessions and helps assign the right roles to players to ensure they reach peak performance. However, you can be your team’s coach with the proper skill set.
Do the Paperwork
Attend to the Red Tapes
Most of the things you’ll need to do to ensure the smooth running of your esports team will require paperwork. It would help ensure you are organized and on the right side of the law.
You’ll need to register the business to give it credibility and get the formation papers. Therefore, it is vital to have a legal entity. It would be best if you went for a lawyer who understands the ins and outs of entertainment law. They would understand the intricacies better and help you work the fine print.
You must prepare contracts, intellectual property, financial papers, and event participation documents. Doing the appropriate paperwork gives you control over your team’s name, logo, and other branding elements. It’s also essential to have copyright over your content and promotional materials to safeguard them from infringement.
Set Up Finances
Drafting your budget is one of the essential elements of understanding how to start an esports team. Put pen to paper on the actual costs of running your esports team. Research the costs of everything you need to make a detailed budget. Some essential things you need to cover include,
- PCs
- Consoles
- Gaming Chairs
- Gaming Space
- Sales and Marketing
- Player salaries
- Internet
- Gears and clothing
- Travel and accommodation
- Insurance etc.
After crafting the budget, it’s time to plan out your profit & loss account. Understand that you won’t make much profit initially because you have yet to compete in the biggest tournaments or get lucrative sponsorships. However, everything would be worth it if you’re consistent and become a recognizable brand in esports.
The revenue stream for a new esports team will initially be from you and partner investors. When you build a good reputation, you can tap into the possibilities of earning via sponsorships, merchandise sales, or prize money. Therefore, it is imperative to research how to get esports sponsors.
Making this financial plan is crucial to ensuring the smooth running of your team. It would better prepare you for emergencies, and you would be able to handle other aspects while rest assured that finance is taken care of.
Get the Word Out About Your Esports Team
Create Your Brand Identity
When researching how to start an esports team, people tend to undermine the impact names, logos, and other visual elements can have. However, your name and logo are the first things fans or brands will see about your team, so it’s trying to make it perfect. Choose a name Brands can identify with to promote beneficial sponsorships and partnerships.
Create a name that resonates with your game type, fans, community, and goals. If you have a sizeable community already, you can ask them to vote for a name. It would make them feel involved in the team and improve support.
Your brand logo is another aspect that fans and brands will remember you with. Realistically, choosing a brand name and logo depends on personal preference. Still, try to come up with a logo that is simple yet pleasant to the eyes. Go for a unique design, as you wouldn’t want fans or brands to confuse you with other esports teams.
Build an Online Presence
Social media is a marketing tool, and you should maximize its potential to enhance the growth of your esports team. Be available on all social media platforms. Hire expert social media experts to manage all your handles for you.
Post interesting and engaging content, and interact regularly with your fans. Also, many interested fans would be able to discover your team and players, increasing your overall popularity.
Aside from fans, brands will also be more enthusiastic about working with you if you have a large social media following. They’ll know you can give them the outreach they want and offer lucrative sponsorship deals.
Take on the World with Your Esports Team
Baby Steps: Start with Local Tournaments
Competing in tournaments is where your team can gradually build its reputation. Everyone wants to compete in the Esports World Cup or the League Championship Series. However, the teams in these competitions didn’t get there overnight. They started from local tournaments and gradually advanced to the highest level.
Scout for the best tournaments around you and enter them. Their prize pool might not be massive, but you won’t be spending much money on tournament fees or travel costs either. They’re more of helping you gain competitive experience and can be an avenue to qualify for bigger tournaments.
Break Your Limiter
From dominating local tournaments, you can advance to competing in national ones. Many national/regional tournaments serve as qualifications for global events.
Examples include the Call of Duty Mobile World Championship, which lets players compete in regional qualifiers to determine participants. The same applies to Final Kombat and Apex Legend Global Series, among many others. Most of these esports tournaments happen annually, and you can keep competing as long as you want.
If your team’s performance is impressive, you could get an invite to tournaments. The key is to ensure that your team stays competitive and motivated, no matter the success. An essential way to do that is to have an ambitious team. Also, strive to ensure players stay motivated to make it happen.
Build Your Cash Revenue
Reel in Sponsors
Sponsorships dominated the global esports revenue in 2022, with a market share of around 39.0%. Fast forward to 2024, it remains the highest revenue stream in esports. So, statistically, the best way to recoup your investments in your team is to attract sponsors, but how do you do so?
If you’re starting out, getting a big sponsor like Adidas, Samsung, or Intel on board can be challenging. You can pitch your team to local brands like electronic stores, energy drinks, or even apparel companies.
The most obvious reward of a good sponsorship deal is the financial gain. With it, you can hire more staff, acquire more equipment, and even upgrade your facilities.
However, it spans more than that. Associating your team with a top brand can give you credibility. Fans and other businesses would want to work with you, as you already have trusted associates.
Sponsorships are a win-win scenario; the sponsors themselves are huge winners. Your esports team advertises them and gains publicity that attracts clients.
Good sponsors don’t come magically; mold your team professionally and organizationally. Also, pitch your business so the sponsors know how you can add value to their brand. Lastly, keep building your fan base, as having more active fans puts you in a position to negotiate better deals with bigger businesses.
Establish Rewarding Partnerships
Partnering with relevant brands in the gaming industry is another great way to develop your esports team. You can work with developers to get insider access to updates. These partnerships help you better understand the games and give you a competitive edge.
Partnering with hardware manufacturers can make them supply you with high-quality gear in exchange for you promoting their brand. You can also work with stakeholders like tournament organizers, coaches, agents, or other teams.
Alienware, a US computer hardware manufacturer, currently partners with Team Liquid, one of the best global esports teams. In 2023, a British esports side, GIANT X (then EXCEL ESPORTS), partnered with HSBC UK. Luxury car brand Porsche also announced a partnership with North American esports giant team FaZe Clan in the same year.
Samsung, Nike, Redbull, and Mercedez-Benz are also among the partners of T1, a South Korean esports organization.
Maintaining Your Esports Team
Be Their Support
Becoming a professional gamer is challenging. Players must have racked up thousands of hours of gaming time, and even when they become pros, they have to play with higher intensity.
These training requirements can affect gamers’ physical and mental health unless they’re well managed. Therefore, focus on creating a schedule that comprises physical exercise, good dieting, and proper rest.
When your players are physically fit, they can handle stress better, reduce the risk of injuries, and perform optimally in training and tournaments. A good diet and rest would also put them in the right frame of mind to compete and avoid issues like depression and anxiety.
For a start, provide them with the best healthcare within your budget. As the team grows, you can hire healthcare professionals. By providing your players with a supportive environment, you’re putting them in the best possible condition to compete.
Happy Team Equals Winning Team
Your team’s health shouldn’t be your only area of focus. They must stay motivated, and the chemistry must be high for efficient cooperation. To achieve this, you should strive to keep everyone happy.
Communicate openly and constructively. Create an environment where all the players feel respected and can communicate freely.
Understand that conflict can still happen in an ideal environment. Manage conflicts effectively, as a happy team equals a winning team.
Conclusion
You don’t necessarily need a big budget to create an esports team. All you need is the passion, strong vision, and drive to make a positive impact in esports. Understand the costs and create a detailed budget. Invest in a team house if you can, and if your budget doesn’t allow it, ensure that you get a convenient space or provide your players with the best platforms to train daily.
Scout the best players and participate in as many tournaments as possible. Creating and running a successful esports team is a full-time job–you should understand the intricacies before you start. Surround yourself with experts who understand how esports work and can advise you on how to run your team.
