OGC Nice has been showcasing its ambitions since its acquisition by INEOS, the British chemical giant. With a new stadium, ever-passionate supporters, and a new investor who already has a significant presence in the football world, the future of the Nice club seems bright, despite a rather disappointing start to the 2022/2023 season. Amidst significant changes within the club, the new investor does not appear hesitant to invest in projects. However, a new sport that is gaining popularity among sports professionals seems to be eluding the investments of the English group for the moment: esports.
While competitors in Ligue 1 have been trying for several years to establish themselves in esports, no signal has been given yet by the management of the azurean club. A strange strategy that stands out from clubs with the same aura and budgetary capacities. A closer look at the world of esports and what it could bring to the Eagles.
Competitors Showcasing Their Ambitions
Despite the ambitions displayed since the club’s acquisition, esports remain absent from the discussions, but that’s not the case for all European teams. In fact, some have been seeking to invest for years now in this new form of sport that includes virtual football. In France, FC Lorient claimed the eLigue 1 2022. Paris Saint-Germain is a pioneer in the discipline, having created a professional esports team as early as 2016, while Olympique de Marseille had a partnership with Antoine Griezmann’s esports team, Grizi Esport, which has been replaced by team BDS, another esports organization.
There are also investments from some mid-table clubs, which only raises more questions regarding the lack of communication from INEOS and OGC Nice on esports. This is happening even as the discipline is booming and holds truly impressive potential for sports franchises and clubs.
A Means of Prominence in the Digital World
Esports is not just a new discipline; it is also an opportunity for clubs to gain exposure on other media platforms. While television has long been the official broadcaster of major football leagues, things have recently changed with the acquisition of Ligue 1 rights by Amazon. Broadcasts on channels have been replaced by video-on-demand platforms.
For esports, platforms like YouTube or Twitch are far ahead of other media and reach different audiences. Having an esports scene ensures a presence on these platforms with millions of viewers, gaining visibility, and introducing the club to a new audience. An audience that can become supporters ready to spend money to support their esports team. Visibility thus naturally transforms into economic opportunity.
A Flourishing Economy
Esports has all the codes of traditional sports. Thus, the sale of jerseys in the colors of esports teams is already widespread within the gaming community. Clubs can capitalize on this by creating a new range of jerseys and accessories bearing the esports branch of the club. This is what American franchises engaged in esports are already doing.
They do not hesitate to recruit players from other teams by paying them, to highlight stars in the discipline, and to broadcast esports matches in the city. With all the codes of the sports world and its economic development, it is natural for industry professionals to turn their attention to this new digital sport, with all the necessary infrastructure for its development already in place within large sports organizations.
In a sporting environment that is radically changing with the rise of digital technology, several major sports groups have a clear strategy for developing esports within their structures. Something that is not yet evident at OGC Nice, even though the club has the potential and the infrastructure to develop esports on the Côte d’Azur with a fortune like Ratcliffe’s to support the club. More so, it can become a major player in this discipline in the region, to win over potential Nice supporters and video game enthusiasts.
