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The sport industry is at an inflection point where all major professional sport leagues in North America are struggling to attract the same avid fans, once a staple within the industry. Furthermore, not only are the number of avid fans decreasing, the average age of avid sport fans is increasing. In other words, the current state of the sport industry indicates that fans are decreasing in number while simultaneously aging out of traditional professional sports. The current study aimed to investigate the ability of a traditional sport, NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) in this case, to utilize an esport, iRacing, to attract new and more diverse fans. Through a partnership with Zoomph, Twitter content was analyzed and revealed the shift from traditional racing to iRacing by NASCAR. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it assisted them in attracting new, more diverse fans whose sentiment on Twitter was positive. Overall, the current study demonstrated that traditional sport properties may be well served by tapping into the esport space in an authentic way to enhance their core product(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article takes up the sport policy and sports science debate on the recognition of competitive computer and video games—so-called eSport—as sport and pursues the goal of differentiating sport and eSport on the basis of systems theory considerations and reflecting on the functions and consequences of recognizing eSport as sport. It begins by addressing the questions of how sport can be observed at all with the help of theories and which epistemological position underlies the systems theory approach. This is followed by a consideration of sport in terms of systems theory as a social functional system and by reflection on forms of structural coupling between the sport system and other social functional systems. In light of these theoretical considerations, the connectivity of eSport to the sport system as well as the functions and consequences of such an integration for structural couplings between the sport system and the systems of health, education, the economy, mass media, and politics are analyzed. The article concludes with an outline of perspectives for future scientific observation of sport and eSport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sociologia Italiana is the property of EGEA S.p.A and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: The inclusion of older players in the gaming world is growing rapidly, leading to the emergence of specific categories for them at major esport events. The aim of this study is to analyze the psychological issues faced by older people when engaging with the competitive context of esport. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in 2021 within the French association Silver Geek, which offers digital workshops using Nintendo Wii consoles to older people living in retirement homes and organizes annual amateur competitions between teams of older adults. This qualitative study involved 16 participants (eight women, eight men) aged 63 to 97 years. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the motivations, emotional wellbeing, and social impact of esport on older people. Results: The results show that older people who participate in esport are motivated by the discovery and mastery of new game skills, as well as the pleasure of performance through social comparison. All experience a psychological well-being that translates into intense positive emotions. Moreover, the esport context, whether during the pre-competition workshops or the competitions themselves, proved to be a strong vector for positive social relationships, especially with the young e-sports coaches. However, this activity had little impact on existing family relationships. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of esport as a recreational activity to promote mental health and social integration in older adults. The challenge for future research is to identify the levers that will enable this activity to become a true medium for intergenerational communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the enormous value public relations can yield to the eSport ecosystem in communicating and building sustainable relationships with various stakeholders, scant research emphasises the necessity for the adoption of a public relations approach in eSport. This commentary argues that the lack of a unified governance structure or an international governing body is the foremost hurdle of eSport, while a critical omission in the eSport governance discussion is how to build and sustain relationships among partners. By combining these two and viewing issues through the lens of public relations, we suggest that principles of good governance such as transparency, public communication and democratic processes, can be achieved in eSport by employing appropriate public relations strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Esports players' training takes long periods and they sit for a long time during competitions, which increases their risk of obesity and urges them to develop inappropriate eating behaviors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the night-eating syndrome and food addiction in esports players. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 248 esports players who were members of a university's esports community. The study data were collected using an online questionnaire consisting of the descriptive information form, Night Eating Questionnaire, and Yale Food Addiction Scale. Results: The mean age of the sports players participating in the study was 22.19 ± 5.97 years. Of them, 55.6% had a normal body weight, 13.4% were obese, 54.4% played esports for 3 years or more, 13.3% experienced night eating syndrome, and 21.4% experienced food addiction. While the weekly duration of playing esports and skipping meals were associated with night eating syndrome, the weekly duration of playing esports and smoking were associated with food addiction (p < 0.05). Additionally, although there was no statistically significant difference, the risk of food addiction was 2.12 times higher in those with poor perceived sleep quality. Conclusion: We observed that night eating syndrome was very common in esports players and that these individuals were at risk in terms of food addiction. Since esports has a more sedentary structure than traditional sports, we suggest that esports players should be evaluated in terms of their unhealthy eating behaviors and risk of eating disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

eSport is a sport of choice and is quite popular, especially among young people, including women. This virtual sport has been developed entirely with various ways to play. At the same time, there is a negative paradigm of eSport games for women in Indonesia, including damaging vision, causing numbness in the hands, forgetting to eat, being introverted, and using harsh language. From a cultural perspective, women who play eSport are considered to violate the nature of women because they reflect masculine characteristics. This study uses quantitative research with a causal-comparative design to examine the effect of female students' participation in playing eSports on psychological development, communication skills, and the risks of virtual games. The research data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially (Multivariate Analysis of Variance). The analysis results prove a simultaneous influence between eSport participation (duration of playing) and ​​female students' psychological conditions, communication, and virtual game risks. In partial testing, eSport participation only significantly affected the communication skills variable of female students, while the other two variables did not. Future research needs to conduct qualitative investigations to explore the clinical experiences of female gamers that help them train their communication skills. Given the existence of various gender discriminatory behaviours in eSports, female gamers may have good communication to protect themselves from the threat of discrimination, or vice versa.

IntroductionThe inclusion of older players in the gaming world is growing rapidly, leading to the emergence of specific categories for them at major esport events. The aim of this study is to analyze the psychological issues faced by older people when engaging with the competitive context of esport.Materials and methodsThe study was conducted in 2021 within the French association Silver Geek, which offers digital workshops using Nintendo Wii consoles to older people living in retirement homes and organizes annual amateur competitions between teams of older adults. This qualitative study involved 16 participants (eight women, eight men) aged 63 to 97 years. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the motivations, emotional well-being, and social impact of esport on older people.ResultsThe results show that older people who participate in esport are motivated by the discovery and mastery of new game skills, as well as the pleasure of performance through social comparison. All experience a psychological well-being that translates into intense positive emotions. Moreover, the esport context, whether during the pre-competition workshops or the competitions themselves, proved to be a strong vector for positive social relationships, especially with the young e-sports coaches. However, this activity had little impact on existing family relationships.ConclusionThis study highlights the potential of esport as a recreational activity to promote mental health and social integration in older adults. The challenge for future research is to identify the levers that will enable this activity to become a true medium for intergenerational communication.

The relationship between esports and cognitive performance has recently gained increasing interest in the scientific community. However, our knowledge of the effects of acute sprint exercise (SE) on game performance and cognitive performance of esports players (as compared to age-matched controls) is scant. To address this gap, this study using a between-subjects design with pretest-posttest comparisons recruited amateur esports players aged between 18 and 35 years, and healthy age-matched controls who did not play esports games. The participants performed the Go/No-go test, Tracking Test, and the First Person Shooter (FPS) game Valorant immediately before and 5 and 30 min after SE. In addition to the behavioral performance, changes in the cortical hemodynamics of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) were recorded before and after the acute physical exercise while playing Valorant using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The results show that amateur esports players have superior performance in both game performance (p <.001) and specific measures of cognitive performance (i.e., Tracking Test, p <.05), regardless of the sessions. After the acute physical exercise, the gaming performance in both groups improved, and amateur esports players showed a higher accuracy in the Go/No-go task 30 min after SE. Regarding PFC cortical hemodynamics, no significant difference was noticed in the oxygenation values of both groups between pre and post tests, and between-group differences (p >.05). In conclusion, our study provides evidence that (i) amateur esports players have superior cognitive performance in specific domains and (ii) an acute bout of physical exercise can increase the gaming performance of both amateur esports players and healthy age-matched controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the media construction of Chiquita Evans, the first woman to participate in the NBA 2 K League, uncovering a complex interplay of gender norms and power dynamics. Explored through Foucauldian discourse analysis, her identity negotiation within this unique space, where sport, gaming, and media converge, is illuminated. Evans emerges as a trailblazer who challenges and reshapes established gender conventions in the male-dominated esports arena. While her defiance of gender norms is evident, the media's focus on her physicality inadvertently perpetuates gendered expectations. Moreover, Evans' participation showcases her navigation of racial and gender norms, exposing lingering biases. The intersection of sport and media logic demonstrates evolving dynamics while also highlighting challenges faced by women players. Overall, the media construction of Evans works to encourage acceptance while reproducing established stereotypes, suggesting that increased representation may not inherently challenge power dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I argue for the usefulness of the concept of 'movement compression' for understanding sport and games, and particularly the differences between traditional sport and eSport (as currently practised). I suggest that movement compression allows us to distinguish between different activities in terms of how movement quality (in the sense of the qualities the movement possesses, rather than that the movement is of 'high quality') affects outcome. While it applies widely, this concept can in particular help us to understand the persistent idea that eSports are in some key way distinct from traditional sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A healthy diet is crucial for the health and physical fitness of both traditional sports and esports athletes. The present study aimed to assess the eating behaviors of elite Polish esports players using the QDS questionnaire. Methods: The survey was conducted on a group of 188 men aged 18-29 years, and a proprietary standardized questionnaire for rapid dietary assessment (QDS) was used. A chi-square test was used for the statistical analysis, assuming a significance level of p<0.05. Results: The results indicate that the largest percentage of esports players surveyed adhered to the dietary recommendations related to fluid intake (75%), fluid replacement during exercise (72.3%), consuming cereal products (67.6%), the recommended number of meals (62.2%), and adequate hydration after exercise (60.1%). The study found that the most common dietary mistakes were usage of dietary supplements without consulting a doctor or nutritionist (75.9%), low consumption of meat substitutes (66.5%), and inadequate intake of recommended products such as pulses (64.4%), fish (62.8%), vegetables (53.3%), and whole grain cereal products (51.1%). Most study participants were players characterized by low (44.7%) and average (40.4%) levels of following dietary recommendations, as indicated by the nutrition score used. A higher level of rational dietary choices was observed in 14.9% of the group. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differentiation of the analyzed dietary behaviors between professional and semi-professional players (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The Quick Diet Survey (QDS) questionnaire used in the study is a valuable and reliable tool for rapid diet assessment. Therefore, the high prevalence of unhealthy eating behaviors among esports players highlights the need for nutrition education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The examination of sports performance in relation to various macroeconomic variables has long occupied researchers in the field of sports economics. Similar interest surrounds esports, which has become one of the fastest developing types of "new media" in recent years. In esports, as well as in the video game industry besides creative content production, technology and digitization play a decisive role. In our research, we draw a parallel between digitization, the economy and sports performance in an area researched by relatively few. Based on the Digital Society and Economy Composite Index (DESI) published annually by the European Commission, we examine the digitization of the Member States of the European Union and whether a link can be found between esports performance and the digital development of each Member State. In the first part of the research cluster analysis was used in order to map the pattern of digital development across the EU, where four main direction was found, based on which four groups, namely “digital winners”, “digital laggards”, “technology-“ and “user focused” states were identified. After which regression analysis was used in order to examine whether digital development has any effect on esports performance.

Celem artykułu jest zwrócenie uwagi na stronniczość – nie tylko w dyskursie potocznym, ale też akademickim – dotyczącą gier wideo i e-sportu. Traktowanie wspomnianych zjawisk jako inherentnie negatywnych (modelujących zachowania agresywne, uzależniających, nieposiadających żadnych walorów rozwijających osobowość) prowadzić może do niedostrzegania zalet i korzyści płynących z gier oraz do pomijania w rozważaniach akademickich tej sfery aktywności człowieka w badaniach, przez co wiedza naukowa na ich temat pozostaje niepełna i zapełniana przez relatywnie nielicznych badaczy. Przytoczenie, w głównej mierze, zagranicznych wyników badań ma na celu zaproponowanie innej optyki dla postrzegania gier wideo i e-sportu oraz ma być próbą odparcia zarzutów kierowanych w ich stronę.

Despite the emerging and rapid progress of esports, approaches for ensuring high-quality analytics and training among professional and amateur esports teams are lacking. In this paper, we demonstrate how the application of data science techniques and Machine Learning (ML) approaches in esports, particularly in sim racing science, can illuminate the most important in-game metrics that dictate performance. Thus, using a professional racing simulator and MoTec i2 Pro (v1.1.5, Australia), we gathered extensive telemetry data from 174 participants, who completed 1327 laps on the Brands-Hatch circuit in the Assetto Corsa Competizione (v1.9, KUNOS Simulazioni). We clustered the obtained laps based on performance (lap-time), and then identified driving behaviors within performance groups. We also analyzed the feature subset obtained from a hybrid feature selection approach using two correlation analyses and three ML models.The best model achieved a prediction accuracy of 97.19%, demonstrating that the model effectively captured the critical factors that influenced driving performance during a lap. The results confirm that average speed is the most important metric, followed by lateral acceleration, steering angle, and lane deviation. Our analyses offer key metrics for refining training tools and techniques in sim racing performance improvement.

Copyright of Doxa Comunicación is the property of Fundacion Universitaria San Pablo - CEU and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose. to research and analyze of the indicators of functional asymmetry in different sportsmanship level esports athletes. Methods. the study involved 20 middle-aged athletes (18±1.53) years old, divided into groups according to their sportsmanship. Group 1: elite players of semi-professional teams in CS:GO and DOTA 2 disciplines, n=10, age (19.2±0.50) years. Group 2: amateur CS:GO and DOTA 2 players, n=10, age (18.2±1.04) years. The functional asymmetry of the movements of the upper limbs was determined using a special program for tablet computers running iOS, developed at the departments of martial arts, computer science and biomechanics of the KhSAPC. Results. It has been established that in terms of the number of clicks per unit of time, elite esports athletes are dominated by amateurs by 5.54% on the left and 5.14% on the right hand; in terms of visual motor reaction time, elite esports athletes prevail by 5.54% on the left hand and 5,07% on the right hand; elite esports athletes showed a 13.3% shorter left-hand click duration, but amateurs showed a 6,83% shorter right-hand click duration. Conclusions. Players with a higher level of preparedness tend to have less asymmetrical movements. In the proposed test, elite athletes demonstrate a greater number of movements per unit of time; at the 2nd stage of testing, the differences are significant (p

Introduction: Esports is a fairly rising and growing entertainment and career platform. The recent changes in the life balance and general health of the players, which are thought to be related to esports, draw attention. Material and methods: 53 professional esports players and 44 non-professional esports players participated in the study. All of the participations were male. Online assessment methods were preferred, and participants answered the questions in the Sociodemographic Data Form, Activity Wheel, and Life Balance Inventory. The normality of the data was tested using the Kolmogorow-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Demographic characteristics were compared with The Independent Samples T-test and Chisquare test. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare LBI subtests scores and occupational performance areas of the sample group. Results: Professional players showed more balanced results on the LBI Relationships subscale. A significant difference was found between the two groups in the field of productivity performance. Discussion: All players interpret their lifestyles as balanced; qualitative research is needed to detail the individual differences and meaning attributed to occupations for all players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of competitive computer and videogaming, also known as electronic sport (esport), has been rising rapidly during the past decades. Because of many parallels with traditional sports, like competitiveness, skill requirements, degree of professionalization, or the way it is portrayed in the media, esport has been adopted as part of the sport canon in many countries. Still, critics argue that playing computer games lacks the physicality commonly seen in traditional sports. A significant part of the competition is mediated through digital platforms and the spotlight shifts from the players' appearance and actions to their digital avatars. This paper takes on this issue by exploring existing evidence about the role of the body in esport via a scoping review approach. According to the findings of 47 studies, the body's role in esport is akin to that in traditional sport, including specific motoric requirements or biometric responses. Beyond that, the body can be seen as a link between the digital and physical worlds. Players embody digital avatars in the form of esport-specific movements, transfer of norms and ideals, and identification with the in-game characters. Future research can use this review as a basis for scientific approaches to individual phenomena regarding corporeality in esport and inter-corporeality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The examination of sports performance in relation to various macroeconomic variables has long occupied researchers in the field of sports economics. Similar interest surrounds esports, which has become one of the fastest developing types of "new media" in recent years. In esports, as well as in the video game industry besides creative content production, technology and digitization play a decisive role. In our research, we draw a parallel between digitization, the economy and sports performance in an area researched by relatively few. Based on the Digital Society and Economy Composite Index (DESI) published annually by the European Commission, we examine the digitization of the Member States of the European Union and whether a link can be found between esports performance and the digital development of each Member State. In the first part of the research cluster analysis was used in order to map the pattern of digital development across the EU, where four main direction was found, based on which four groups, namely "digital winners", "digital laggards", "technology-" and "user focused" states were identified. After which regression analysis was used in order to examine whether digital development has any effect on esports performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of the paper is to conduct research on the personality traits and pre-competition anxiety of Esports and sports players, in addition to confirming differences in personality and pre-competition anxiety between the two examined groups. The research has been conducted on 67 (N=67) subjects, 30 of whom are semi-professional or professional gamers who participate in state-level and regional-level competitions. The remaining 37 subjects are the highest-ranked athletes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The t-test, a type of inferential statistic, has been used to determine statistical differences in disposition between the arithmetic means of the two groups, using BFI-44 (α=0.78) and CSAI-2 (α=0.60) measuring instruments. It has been anticipated that the Esports players are ranked lower at Extraversion (E) and Agreeableness (A) levels, while their Neuroticism (N) level is higher compared to the results of the athletes. The research indicates that all of the three hypotheses regarding the Big Five Model have been confirmed – on the scale of Extraversion (E) with significance levels of p=0.000 (p

Research Objectives 1) Analyze the Level of Physical Fitness 2) Analyze the relationship between physical activity and physical fitness. 3) Analyze the relationship between healthy living behaviour and physical fitness. 4) Analyzing the relationship between physical activity, healthy living behaviour and physical fitness in Palu City sports players. This research is a quantitative correlational study; the sample in this study was esports players in Palu City, totalling 160 people. Data collection techniques and instruments used include questionnaires and multistage fitness test documentation. The variables in this study are physical activity, healthy living behaviour and physical fitness. Data analysis techniques use prerequisite tests and hypothesis testing. The results in this study are 1) The physical fitness level of esports players in Palu City is in a good category with a percentage of 76%. 2) The relationship between physical activity and physical fitness is in the weak correlation category. 3) The relationship between living behaviour and physical fitness is in the fragile correlation category. 4) The relationship between physical activity, healthy living behaviour, and physical fitness is in the weak correlation category. The conclusion of this study shows that the physical fitness level of Palu City sport players is in the sufficient category; the lack of physical activity and the application of healthy living behaviours greatly affect the quality of physical fitness of Palu City esports players

Background: The 21st century has brought substantial changes to the manners in which people gamble and the types of things on which people gamble. These changes are particularly stark in the United States, where, over the past five years, sports betting has gone from being legal in only one location to being legal throughout the majority of the country, often via mobile applications and online betting websites. Method: In March of 2022, a sample of the U.S. population (n = 2806, Mage[SD] = 48.9[17.2]; 1365[48.6%] men; response rate = 87.6%) and an oversample of sports-wagering adults in the U.S. (n = 1557, Mage[SD] = 41.7[15.3]; 1043[67%] men; response rate = 78.7%) were recruited via YouGov. Participants completed measures of gambling activities, including various forms of sports betting, as well as measures of problem gambling activities. Results: In general, people who gamble on sports, when compared to people who do not bet on sports, reported greater frequency of gambling engagement (averaging between monthly and weekly play),a wider variety of gambling activities (with the majority reporting past year engagement in four or more gambling activities), and higher rates of problem gambling. Multinomial logistics regression revealed no distinct associations between any specific form of sports gambling and higher risk, instead demonstrating that breadth and depth of gambling engagement were the best predictors of high-risk gambling behaviors. Conclusions: In general, sports gambling is broadly associated with greater engagement in both breadth of gambling activities and frequency of gambling play. Additionally, people who gamble on sports seem to be at higher risk of problem gambling than people who do not bet on sports. However, in analyses controlling for breadth and depth of gambling activities, these links are attenuated, suggesting that the risks associated with sports gambling behaviors are related to the greater degree of gambling engagement.

COVID-19 ushered new forms of media engagement when traditional sporting events and league play were suspended. Subsequently, certain sections of the audience moved online to fill their needs typically satisfied via traditional sport consumption. Esport is one such form of digital entertainment that significantly altered the ways in which sport fans can immerse themselves in related content. To examine how those audience obtained gratifications, we surveyed traditional sport fans who have either increased or initiated esports media consumption during the pandemic, doing so through the lens of media dependency theory. Results from 155 sports fans demonstrate three key findings. First, gratifications for traditional sports were significantly higher than those of esports. Secondly, ascending esports consumers maintained significantly more intense gratifications than did new users. Finally, media dependency was a significant, positive predictor of all 12 of the traditional sports motivations and 9 of the 12 esport motivations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of PODIUM- Revista de Ciencia y Tecnologia en la Cultura Física is the property of Universidad de Pinar del Rio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, esports have grown from a small number of local gaming activities undertaken by a few recreational participants to a multi-billion dollar industry with professional leagues, franchises, teams and players. While the industry has grown, our collective understanding of some of the most fundamental questions such as who plays esports and why, have received scant attention from academics. In an effort to further understand, profile and categorize players, the purpose of this research is to create a typology of esports players and to cross-validate previous research findings. Using hierarchical and k-clustering techniques, six psychographic factors (socialization, positive affect, competition, fantasy/escape, coping, pass/waste time) and additional demographic and behavioral characteristics are used to create a typology of esports players. Based on a large, diverse and international sample of respondents (n = 1165), five types of players, including (1) Competitive, (2) Casual, (3) Casual-Social, (4) Casual-Fun, and (5) Casual-Competitive esports players, are identified. In-depth examination and discussion of the five types of players are provided. The implications of this research suggest the importance of considering demographic, psychographic and behavioral characteristics when attempting to identify, understand and classify different types of esports players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional sport leagues have created esport leagues and teams, which serve as brand extensions (e.g., NBA and NBA 2K League). These brand extensions can benefit the professional sports team brand by reaching various audiences in a different product category. The purpose of this study was to examine a traditional sport entity's (NBA franchise) esport brand extension (NBA 2K League team). In partnership with an NBA team and the affiliated NBA 2K esports team, a survey of 195 individuals assessed the brand extension on several variables, including extension awareness, perceived quality, image fit, categorical fit, innovativeness, and authenticity of the extension. Further, a cluster analysis revealed four distinct groups: (1) Gamers, (2) Traditional NBA Team Fans, (3) Crossover Fans, and (4) Low-Consumers. Discussion of the groups' brand extension perceptions and behavior are highlighted. Targeted marketing for these clusters may improve efficiency of sports marketing messaging, as well as provide an understanding of the extension's effect on the parent brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Her gün milyonlarca kullanıcının bir araya gelerek yayın yaptığı, etkileşimde bulunduğu canlı yayın akış platformu Twitch, hem üretim hem tüketimde büyük bir hızla büyümektedir. Dijital oyun pazarının merkezi haline gelen Twitch, dünyanın en çok ziyaret edilen platformlarından biri olmuştur. Bu çalışma izleyici ve yayıncıların Twitch’e yönelik yaklaşımlarını ve deneyimlerini inceleyerek, Twitch’in dinamiklerini ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu amaçla çalışmada Şubat-Nisan 2021 tarihleri arasında tesadüfi olarak seçilen yedi Twitch yayıncısı ve yedi Twitch izleyicisiyle çevrimiçi derinlemesine görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu kapsamda izleyicilerin ve yayıncıların Twitch’te kendilerini nasıl sunduklarını anlamaya yönelik yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu hazırlanmış ve yapılan görüşmeler nitel değerlendirmeye tabi tutulmuştur. Çalışma sonucunda Twitch’in başarısının içeriğin kalitesinden çok izlenme oranlarıyla ölçüldüğü ortaya konulmuştur. Araştırmada, diğer sosyal medya sitelerine göre daha az bilinir olmasına rağmen Twitch’in, Türkiye’de hem izleyici hem yayıncı açısından büyük bir ivme kaydettiği ve dünyayla yarışabilecek düzeyde yayınlar yaptığı görülmüştür. Çalışmada, sunduğu yenilikçi yaklaşımlarla Twitch’in yerini sağlamlaştırdığına işaret edilmektedir.

The present paper provides an overview of the possible risks, harms, and challenges that might arise with the development of the esports field and pose a threat to professional esports players, spectators, bettors and videogame players, including underage players. These include physical and mental health issues, gambling and gambling-like elements associated with videogames and esports, the challenges arising from pursuing a career in esports, the unique difficulties women face, and a need for supporting professional esports players. It briefly discusses possible responses and suggestions regarding how to address and mitigate these negative consequences. It emphasizes the need for cooperation and collaboration between various stakeholders: researchers, policymakers, regulators, the gaming industry, esports organizations, healthcare and treatment providers, educational institutes and the need for further evidence-based information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While million-dollar prize-pools and mega-events dominate esports news, the somewhat elusive entities of national esports associations continue to develop as a critical underbelly. Associations prop up player mobility across all scales of modernisation and play an integral advocacy role for regional esports, providing situated responses to esports governance in society. However, national associations provide sector representation that is often polemic and unwelcome by grassroots, commercial and even state-level representatives. With the continued growth in everyday esports participation and calls for better regulatory frameworks, this article explores the emerging forms and challenges within esports associationalism under the four modes of public, industry, substitute, and early adopter associations. Through qualitative, mixed methods research, these modes are outlined as distinct associational forms with local mobilities, stakeholder pressures and infrastructural challenges involved for associational development and locally tailored esports governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our paper, we present the research findings of our empirical survey conducted in Hungary related to the gender differences in the use, motivations, habits, and aspirations in video games and esports. The most important theoretical foundations of our research are provided by the critical feminist theory and, within that, the critical agenda and the feminist cultural studies (Birrell, 2000). These writings raise awareness of the fact that sport still has extremely masculine dimensions that have preserved the original uneven distribution of power for centuries. We consider esports as such a domain. Our research question relates to the gender proportions in video gaming, and we include the characteristics of the games played and the motivations of the players in our observations. In order to achieve the desired data, an online inventory was used (N = 338). Our results highlight that although modernisation and technical development profoundly transformed and determined our daily life, including our attitude to free time and sports, regardless of gender, social and geographical situation, the changes at the same time bring about certain forms of inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by a dynamic capabilities framework, this research explores the National Basketball Association's (NBA) expansion into esports. Based on the input of thirteen sport industry experts, the paper presents research on simulated professional sports (SPS) with a deep investigation of the NBA 2K League (2KL). NBA 2KL is the first esports league in North America that is owned and operated by a traditional professional sports league. Results identify both league and club level outcomes for: 1) learning dynamic capabilities; 2) integrating/coordinating dynamic capabilities; 3) reconfiguring dynamic capabilities. Practical recommendations to the NBA, extended to other professional leagues, are provided. A framework for future research, including questions to be addressed, is outlined based on the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to conduct a comparative analysis of psychomotor abilities in athletes of cyclic sports (short track), martial arts (karate, taekwondo) and esports (CS:GO). Materials, participants and methods: The study involved athletes of percussion martial arts (n=10, age 18,9±0,12, candidates for master of sports), elite players of semi-professional CS:GO teams (n=10, age 19,2±0,50), short track speed skaters (n=10, age 19±0,09, masters of sports). The choice reaction time, the frequency of local movements (60-second tapping test), and the reaction time to a change in the size of the object (Size-test) were determined. Research results. Esports athletes have the best reaction time of choice and tapping test compared to other athletes. The wrestlers showed the best reaction to distinguishing the size of an object in the Size-Test. Skaters have high rates of complex reaction time and frequency of movements. The duration of the tapping test has a likely inverse relationship with the frequency of tapping. Conclusions. It was found that esports athletes have a significantly better choice reaction time (p<0,05) than martial arts athletes. The results of short track skaters do not have significant differences with martial arts and esports athletes (p>0.05). The results of the tapping test in terms of the total number of movements and the average number for 5 s in esports athletes tend to be higher compared to short track speed skaters and martial arts athletes. The fastest response time to a change in the size of an object in the Size-test was shown by martial arts athletes, the slowest by short-track skaters. This reflects the trend towards better results of this type of reaction in martial arts athletes compared to short track speed skaters and esports athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Kultura i Wychowanie is the property of Akademii Humanistyczno-Ekonomicznej and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Eunomia is the property of Eunomia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Eunomia is the property of Eunomia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Historically, the presence of women at different levels and in different sectors of sports in Catalonia has been limited by gender stereotypes and by the weight that traditional male roles have in our society. Currently, in spite of the remarkable improvements achieved, the situation of women is not comparable with their male counterparts, which is why gender equality policies in sports are still indispensable. The aim of this article is, firstly, to provide a brief framework that conceptualises the origin of Catalan gender equality policy in sports and, secondly, to analyse in depth the “Programa Dones i Esports” (Women and Sports Programme) — the document that sets policy trends on this matter in Catalonia. In order to complement these two aims, international and national policies that help better understand the programme developed in Catalonia are presented. Proposals suggested in the mentioned policies are also included as measures that could be potentially implemented at the Catalan level. It is concluded that, even though important achievements have been made, there are still challenges in the six strategic areas established in “Programa Dones i Esports” and there is also the need to carry out systematic and continuous evaluations of the actions promoted within the framework of this sports policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The esport industry is emerging and constantly changing. The pandemic has had a significant impact on esport and its markets and has affected the whole ecosystem. The focus of this paper, besides esport, is simracing: due to the limitations on physical events, motorsports have had to convert their races to the digital world. The aims of the article are: (1) to identify the changes in the esport and simracing world and markets caused by the pandemic, (2) to examine the difficulties and challenges that the industry is facing, and (3) to explore the opportunities for the further development of the business. Our research methodology involved in-depth interviews with industry professionals from different backgrounds. The results show that esport and simracing need to become more economically sustainable, and changes are required in all related markets. This article identifies such opportunities. Despite the difficulties, esport will continue to be a major player in the digital world and in the world of sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate gender perception of eSports gamers. Methods 8 male gamers in the professional team were selected purposeful and snowball sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face and online interviews, and analyzed by content analysis and classification analysis. Results Esport gamers explained their indirect experiences with female gamers. The results are as follows. First, it was confirmed that the number of female gamers was small and they had a negative stigma image, and this consistently reproduced the gender role stereotype of female gamers in digital games. Second, in the game world, men are swearing, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment against female gamers, which suggests that female gamers are viewed as targets of sexual play from the perspective of the strongest. Third, eSports male gamers are characterized by being conservative or open to gender perceptions by age. We discussed what to need in eSports which is male dominated area should give to opportunity for equality education. Conclusions In-depth understanding of gender perception in e-sports players should be prioritized in order to change gender perception. Therefore, it would be an important research topic bring to discuss. This paper is expected to be a beneficial material for eSports gender studies and stimulate to discuss gender imbalance.