The esports market will reach 443.1 million people this year, according to the Global Esports Market Report from research firm Newzoo. But 71% of those fans only watch one game.
Newzoo also identifies a large chunk of the esports audience that watch competition for games that they don’t even play. For example, 26% of those that follow League of Legends esports do not play it.
“The lean-back consumption of esports content, coupled with fans’ attachment to teams and players, helps gravitate consumers toward franchises—even after they stop playing (temporarily or permanently),” Newzoo noted in a release sent to GamesBeat.
Overwatch has the most active audience. About 54% of the people who watch Overwatch esports games have played Blizzard’s shooter at some point in the last three months.
In the chart above, you can see how isolated the audiences for three of the biggest esports have become. Only 6% of those polled say they follow Overwatch, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.