K-Swiss has launched a limited edition shoe specifically designed for sports players, the brand claiming that this $ 125 shoe is the first of its kind.

Created in collaboration with the immigration sports company Immortals Gaming Club (IGC), the "One-Tap" shoe promises to improve the performance of esports sports players.

Esports – or electronic sports – is a form of game in which individuals or professional teams compete in multiplayer video games. Competitions are gaining popularity as a show sport around the world, with experts estimating that sports sports will generate more than $ 1 billion in revenue this year.

The K-Swiss sports shoe is made from a lightweight and flexible material with a "snug fit" elastic closure and ventilation unit to make it breathable in warm weather and a wool-lined insole that can be inserted. the shoes are warmer. Players can also fold the heels of sneakers for a slipperiness during the long hours of a game or training.

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The One-Tap shoes are decorated in black and silver, colors of Made in Brazil – a team of IGC who professionally participates in the online game "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive". A Brazilian crest also appears on the foldable heel.

Barney Waters, chairman of K-Swiss, told CNBC on Wednesday that half of One-Tap's shares had been sold in the first hour of the product launch on Wednesday.

"Game content on (live broadcast platform) Twitch has more viewers than HBO, Netflix, Hulu and ESPN combined, and the number of viewers for some of the major tournaments is twice that of the NBA Finals" , did he declare. "There is a huge reach, and it's among young men, the hardest to reach."

Eric Haggstrom, a forecast badyst at eMarketer, confirmed on Wednesday to CNBC that Esport was becoming more and more attractive to advertisers because of its audience.

"Viewers generally have a very high income and often do not consume other digital media supported by advertising or use advertising blockers. They are difficult to reach in other ways, "he said in a phone call.

"We are seeing strong growth in advertising on these events and this is becoming more diverse – large companies such as Coca-Cola and Verizon (have gotten involved). It really starts to reflect the real sport in terms of advertisements. "

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However, Jodie Fullagar, managing director of M & C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment, said Thursday that many brands still ignored the "potential gold mine of audience".

"Marketers over the age of 35 are not familiar with esports. This post-dates their youth and they are skeptical about its influence, "she said. "The eSports industry needs to better convince brands to invest by exploiting and packaging data in a familiar and compelling way for traditional marketers."

Industry billion dollars

According to a report published in 2018 by Goldman Sachs, 167 million people watched esport last year and its audience is expected to reach 276 million by 2022. Esports account for nearly 2.7 billion dollars in three years, 40% of these revenues are generated by media rights and 35% by sponsorship contracts.

Peter Warman, CEO and co-founder of sports and games research company Newzoo, told CNBC that the global audience for the sports sector will reach 453.8 million people this year, generating a number business of $ 1.1 billion, an increase of 26.7% year on year.

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"As a business, esports are now entering a critical new phase towards maturity," he said in an e-mail. "Big investments have been made, new league structures have been launched, sponsorship budgets have shifted from experimental to ongoing, and international trade in media rights is starting to warm up."

However, he noted that the salaries of the esports players had "increased" and that the audience still relied on a limited number of teams and franchises, making profitability and return on investment a challenge for the sector.

Brand support

Although K-Swiss has claimed that One-Tap is the very first sports shoe, major brands are increasingly turning to clothing and merchandise opportunities in competitive games.

Earlier this month, the Brazilian organization of esports Furia announced the signing of a sponsorship agreement with Nike. The agreement, which includes a new uniform for Furia's "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" team, will be a multi-year contract.

Nike has also signed a sponsorship deal with TJ Sports – a joint venture between Chinese video game companies Tencent and Riot Games – that will allow the League of Legends Pro League team to compete exclusively in Nike clothing until 2022.

The sportswear brand Champion has also entered the online gaming scene with the launch of its first online sports line in May. The company worked with the esports company Ntwrk to design jerseys, hoodies and t-shirts complete with the branding of the team, all sold by Footlocker.

In Europe, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football team offers items especially for esport fans, including jerseys worn by their own esports players. The club also sells branded game seats "designed to meet the needs of professional players of the PSG esports team during their long play sessions."

At the same time, Adidas signed a sponsorship deal with Danish esports company North last year.

In addition to investing in K-Swiss's One-Tap, esports fans can buy a range of original products to make the game more comfortable.

Japanese consumers can buy a neck support for their Nintendo Switch to allow hands-free play, while the Danish company Envavo sells a "Heatbuff" designed to prevent cold hands from impairing performance in "critical moments" of the game .

Esports players can also purchase $ 35 Amazon Gaming Gloves, designed to "eliminate slippage" caused by sweaty hands.

There is also a large market for gaming chairs, with some of the more expensive options available on Amazon for over $ 1,275.

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