Esports Management and Marketing 7.5 credits

This course is about competitive video gaming (esports) and the wider media sphere it operates in. Gaming is the world’s largest entertainment industry and esports is a big part of its continued growth with an audience exceeding 600 million. Jönköping as the former ‘City of DreamHack’ represents one of the most iconic places in esports and gaming worldwide, with Glitched LAN now taking place every summer. Esports represents a blend of culture, sport, gaming and entertainment that is rooted in digitality yet with a growing influence in the physical world. It influences the modern society and business sphere, as it innovates via passionate communities and forward-thinking companies. These digital innovations are increasingly adopted and leveraged by stakeholders within education, sports, culture and entertainment resulting in impact on the wider society. Within this course you will develop an overview of the esports industry and the management and marketing practices within. The course will be held on campus but with online session where you can engage and learn with professionals from the industry. This course will benefit those considering a career within the areas of esports and gaming but also adds value for those who wish to enhance their knowledge of modern digital practices. You will deepen your understanding of digital practices, communities and innovations that have relevance across a broad range of career paths.<br> <br> **Connection to Research and Practice**<br> Jönköping was the City of DreamHack, the world’s biggest digital festival with an emphasis on gaming and esports. Glitched has replaced DreamHack as a summer event and students have collaborated with Glitched in the first edition of the course The Esports Research Network (ERN) is the world’s largest research network on the context with over 650 members and an annual conference. The Network was founded and is led by a current JIBS academic who also does research in the area including published works on the esports actors in the city. There are a host of research projects in games and esports currently underway, under review or have been published. These include topics such as; entrepreneurship, sustainability, legitimacy & organization, marketing, management, regional studies, festivals & events, game development, play experiences and society. The academic is also an associate editor at the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports and on the editorial board for the International Journal of Esports Research. The academic has also hosted a podcast, the Esports Research Report which talked to researchers and practitioners on a variety of subjects relevant to the course.