Part Four: Before You Host an Event, Know the Rules, Regulations and Background

Previously, we’ve shared our thoughts on the massive potential that is the eSport community and why we believe sports bars and restaurants are losing a monumental opportunity by not marketing and catering to gamers. To put it simply, Gen Z sees eSports as more important to their culture than traditional sports. That means the future of your business depends on attracting the gaming community.

As we’ve detailed in a previous post, sports bar operators would be wise test the eSports waters before venturing into hosting a gaming event of their own. This can be as simple as regularly showing big eSports tournaments at your establishment, hosting fun gaming nights, and overall making gamers and fans feel welcomed.

As you build momentum with eSports and built a dedicated and foundational customer base, you may decide to move forward with organizing your own gaming event or tournament. Not only can this help fill the void of slower nights and seasons, but it also cements your business as the ultimate eSports-friendly venue in your community.

In the early stages of planning and hosting a gaming-focused event, however, there are a few important aspects to understand in order to steer clear of any legal trouble.

eSports Rules & Regulations

eSports tournament regulations

The most important aspect to keep in mind while planning an eSport event are the stipulations behind the game you choose to showcase, especially if you’re looking to host a tournament. Many of the rules and regulations are contingent on which game you feature; however, the majority of regulations are fairly self-explanatory when it comes to hosting an event.

Below are some of the most popular eSport games in 2018. These are reliable options as they are the most widely played in gaming tournaments. As for each game, there are different equipment requirements, most of which are easily obtained, or you may already have.

Top 3 eSports Games for Sports Bars

League of Legends

Requirements

  • Roughly 2 or more CPU (central processing unit/computers). This depends on how many players you would like to have compete at once.
  • Game controllers (or you could just use the computer controls) Memory RAM (storage on your computer that makes the game load faster)
  • Disk Space (Unlike RAM, this data is stored permanently)
  • Graphics Card (helps the game run smoothly)

Fortnite: Battle Royal

Requirements

  • Roughly 2 or more CPU (central processing unit/computers). This depends on how many players you would like to have compete at once.Note: You can also use PS4 / Xbox One / Nintendo Switch
  • Game controllers (or you could just use the computer controls), depending on the console you select
  • Memory RAM (storage on your computer that makes the game load faster)
  • Disk Space (Unlike RAM, this data is stored permanently)
  • Graphics Card (helps the game run smoothly)

DOTA 2

Requirements

  • Roughly 2 or more CPU (central processing unit/computers). This depends on how many players you would like to have compete at once.
  • Up to five controllers (or you could just use the computer controls)
  • Memory RAM (storage on your computer that makes the game load faster)
  • Disk Space (Unlike RAM, this data is stored permanently)
  • Graphics Card (helps the game run smoothly)

 

There are, of course, myriad other games to choose from should these three games not do the trick for your business. Madden NFL, for example, might be a fun game for football-focused sports bars looking to bridge gamers and the traditional sports fan.

Also, if you’re lacking in gear, we recommend poking your local video game store to see if they’re willing to partner up in your tournaments and donate games and equipment for the event. They are a natural collaborator and furthermore, you can ask them which eSports games have the most traction in your area. They are the gaming experts in your neighborhood after all.

How to Choose a Game for Your Sports Bar’s eSports Tournament

how sports bars can choose an esports tournament game

So which game should you run? If you’re unsure, you have a few good options to help figure it out.

For starters, we recommend polling your bar’s regulars (who are also gamers) to see what they’d be interested in playing. They’re the ones you’re ultimately marketing the tournament towards, you would be wise to run it for them.

The next best step is to conduct some quick research on popular online eSports groups such as eSports on Facebook or the r/eSports thread on Reddit. These sites will let you gauge what generates the most excitement in the gaming community.

It’s important to note that digital games evolve fairly rapidly; the highest profile example is Fortnite.

According to a study by Common Sense Media, roughly 61% of the teens play Fortnite (that goes for males & females), while another 44% say they’ve made a friend online while playing. It’s also worth noting that as of October 2018, Epic Games has announced that new in-game tournaments will be coming to Fortnite: Battle Royale. This could be a perfect option to use at your establishment. Nonetheless, we still suggest doing some research to help determine what the gamers in your community are most passionate about playing because it may or may not be Fortnite.

Don’t Forget to Get the Game Developer’s Permission

eSports Permission for sports bars

Once you have your desired game selected, the next step you should take is the most important. We recommend asking the game developer for permission to use their content if you are planning on hosting a tournament.

In general, game developers will not pose any problems if you’re looking to hold a tournament in your restaurant. And typically, smaller local eSport tournaments fly under the radar and do not request permission from the game’s developer. However, it is not uncommon for some to receive cease & desist orders from the game’s owner; therefore, it’s important to notify them and make sure they are on board.

If you’re confused as to how to request permission, you can find all of the necessary details to include in your note on the Electronic Arts (EA) guidebook for seeking permission from a developer ed-hrvatski.com. You may want to contact your lawyer, too, to make sure your event isn’t running afoul of anything.

The Benefits

There are numerous ways for restaurants to profit on the eSport revolution. Most notably, reaching a younger audience that have shown to be brand loyal. Showing eSports events on your TVs as if it was any other sport is a quick-win with your local eSports fans. Other opportunities within eSport tournaments involve targeting local organizations (such as your local game store) to partner/sponsor your event. Similarly, it will be helpful to reach out to local gaming chapters from a nearby college.

For the most part, your restaurant likely has all of the tools necessary to pull off an excellent eSport event; it just requires a bit of elbow grease to make sure you’re covering all of the bases.