Olympics’ Esports Debut Sees Modest YouTube Viewership Numbers

The first-ever Olympics Esports opening ceremony saw modest viewership numbers, with a peak of just 1,000 concurrent viewers tuning in to watch on YouTube. While the response may not have been as strong as some had hoped, the landmark event nevertheless marked an important milestone for esports’ transition into the mainstream.

The Olympic Esports opening ceremony made its debut on June 22nd, 2023, and was met with lackluster viewership on YouTube. The opening ceremony featured live music and dance performances, as well as talks from members of the Olympic Council, the International Olympic Committee, and the president of the Republic of Singapore.

During the Olympics Esports events, a variety of games were showcased, including Chess, Street Fighter 6, Gran Turismo, Fortnite, Just Dance, Zwift, Tic Tac Bow, and Virtual Taekwondo.

Ng Ser Miang, a board member of the Singapore National Olympic Council, had this to say about the event: “Over the next few days, you will enjoy the thrilling finals of ten Olympic virtual sports. You will watch exciting live demonstrations of the world’s best athletes and gamers competing with.“

The Olympic Esports Week is seen as a significant step towards the future of sports and entertainment. Ng Ser Miang also highlighted this when he said, “The Olympic Esports Week will showcase how technology and gamification will create new opportunities for sports. At the same time, highlighting the potential of sportifying esports and games.“

While the event was meant to attract esports fans worldwide, the viewership numbers for the opening ceremony fell far short of expectations. This is a sharp contrast to the viewership numbers for other major esports events, which can easily reach into the millions.

Possible reasons for the low viewership numbers include a lack of promotion and marketing for the event, limited access to the games due to regional restrictions, and the timing of the event. The Olympics Esports Week took place during a time when other major esports events were happening, which could have diverted viewers’ attention.

As the Olympics continue to explore the world of esports, it’s crucial to analyze potential solutions to improve future viewership. This could include expanding the promotion of events, making games more accessible to audiences globally, and scheduling events at optimal times to avoid conflicting with other major esports events.

The Internation Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, was optimistic about the Olympics’ debut of esports. He expressed that the next few days would be a historic time for virtual sports and esports. He further added, “A time for players to showcase their excellence and their passion for sports. To all the players, I say, now is your moment to shine.”

Her Excellency Halimah Yacob shared Bach’s sentiments. She expressed her excitement in creating an unforgettable experience for everyone. She further said, “the world will witness the crowning of the first-ever Olympic Esports finals winners across ten sports and catch exhilarating exhibition matches across five others.“

The Olympics Esports week was a mixture of a genuine competition and a tech and business expo. However, the level of interest from esports fans online was relatively low compared to other esports events. The Olympics has significant prestige when it comes to traditional sports and possibly even virtual sports, such as Virtual Taekwondo.

The Olympics’ esports event might be a test case to build momentum for esports in the future. The organizers and participants can use the lessons learned from this event to refine their strategies and attract more viewers in the next esports competition.