eSport viewership numbers will surprise you

The popularity of eSports is on the rise according Digital research firm SuperData, who have released worldwide viewership figures for gaming events in 2013.

Over 71 million people tuned in to watch players take on one another at competitive events across the globe last year according to the stats – more than doubling 2012’s viewership.

31.4 million of those viewers come from the US alone, with males between the ages of 21 and 34 years accounting for than 75% of the audience.

“With the booming popularity of streaming services such as Twitch, ESL, and MLG, it is becoming easier than ever for gamers to connect with other players and form communities that culminate in competitive gaming,” said CEO of SuperData, Joost van Dreunen.

An interesting comparison to put eSport viewership in context is to compare it to major sporting events. In 2013, 14.9 million people watched the MLB (US Baseball) World Series and 26.3 million watched the NBA (US basketball) Finals: Game 7. Both were eclipsed by the League of Legends Season 3 World Championship, which garnered 32 million viewers.

eSport viewers are “dedicated viewers” according to the stats – an average viewer watches 19 times a month with a session length of 2.2 hours.

Audience numbers are not the only thing growing in the eSport arena. Prize money reached $25 million in 2013 in gaming, with the Dota 2 The International alone offering a prize pool of $2.87 million.

The full report can be accessed here.

Do you make up part of the eSport viewership? Let us know in the comments and forum.