Growing esports events through sales and sponsorships : case Elisa Masters
Vilkuna, Matias (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025051511882
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025051511882
Tiivistelmä
In this thesis the growing of esports events is discussed with a focus specifically on smaller Counter-Strike 2 events. The main goal is figuring out how to grow the event called Elisa Masters Espoo by creating sales initiatives and strategies to attract sponsors, partners, and attendees.
The thesis begins with the history of esports and the growth of the scene with looks into the future. Further on moving to the theory of selling events to sponsors and attendees, is gone through, from which the thesis moves on to specifically Counter-Strike 2 events.
In the case Elisa Masters is used as an example of a smaller but reasonably successful event. Firstly, the current situation and success of the event is looked at to build ground for the research conducted.
The research conducted was done by using semi-structured interviews. Most important finding was that it is truly difficult to grow an event from a lower tier tournament like Elisa Masters to a high tier tournament status. The interview questions found out that Elisa Masters is a successful tournament without the prestige of higher tier tournaments. Major steps with the attending teams, prize pool, and marketing of the event need to be taken. The theory gives good development ideas of how to sell the event to partners and attendees.
The thesis begins with the history of esports and the growth of the scene with looks into the future. Further on moving to the theory of selling events to sponsors and attendees, is gone through, from which the thesis moves on to specifically Counter-Strike 2 events.
In the case Elisa Masters is used as an example of a smaller but reasonably successful event. Firstly, the current situation and success of the event is looked at to build ground for the research conducted.
The research conducted was done by using semi-structured interviews. Most important finding was that it is truly difficult to grow an event from a lower tier tournament like Elisa Masters to a high tier tournament status. The interview questions found out that Elisa Masters is a successful tournament without the prestige of higher tier tournaments. Major steps with the attending teams, prize pool, and marketing of the event need to be taken. The theory gives good development ideas of how to sell the event to partners and attendees.