Really good insight to think about for esports — in addition to overall “fandom” and why brands not spending to capture the attention of a younger demo are losing a pivotal opportunity for their future customer.
Sports Fans Are Made by 14 — Esports Needs to Pay Attention A new report from Two Circles shows almost half of all sports fans become fans before their 14th birthday. And those who do? – 24% more likely to call themselves highly passionate – 98% more likely to engage daily – Spend nearly 2x more money In other words, capture fans young & you capture them for life. So what does this mean for gaming and esports? – Should publishers and teams be designing experiences that turn 10–14 year olds into lifelong fans? – Are we treating players like users to be monetised, instead of fans to be nurtured? – And if sports are investing in “fan origination” strategies, why isn’t gaming talking about it the same way? Because if fandom really is forged by 14, the fight for the next generation of esports fans is already happening right now. If a game is 15+ or 18+, what about the offramp? I've often spoken to parents about the progression of what theior kids play. Commonly it goes something like Minecraft > Fortnite > Call of Duty. P.S. Approximately 70% of fans are made by 20 & 86% by 30. Follow #HeyChris for more breakdowns like this.
Always shocking to me to hear brands not thinking of gaming for younger people now to turn them into loyal brand consumers later. Grooming (Gillette doing it, but what about Wahl or Harrys), hygiene (should be every brand non stop there are a few, but tons more), banking finance (getting better but still so many more), taxes (HR Block doing this), Insurance (getting more but State Farm and Geico only two getting into gaming). Any who, hope all is good my guy!
Coming from the gaming world and as a parent of a 9-year-old, I feel the tension here. Yes, I understand why brands should want to capture young fans early. But at what cost? Kids 8–12 are already averaging 4 hours a day on screens vs. just 38 minutes outside. Gen Z spends 9+ hours online daily. And the impact is real: anxiety, sleep issues, irritability. Here’s the twist: 81% of Gen Z say they want it to be easier to disconnect, and 4 in 5 wish they had more outdoor skills. That feels like a massive opportunity. What if brands didn’t just reach kids in-game, but also became trusted guides in helping them find balance? Maybe it’s less about chasing loyalty but more about designing experiences that also nurture healthy habits for our youngest players. If fandom is forged by 14, shouldn’t we also be asking what kind of fans (and people) we’re helping them become?