Esports Currently Being Considered for 2024 Olympics

Esports is officially becoming the next big thing. Hot on the heels of Madison Square Garden's recent acquisition of Counter Logic Gaming, the possibility of an Esports Olympic event is currently in consideration for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In 2016, global Esports viewership had reached an impressive 320 million people worldwide, with over £400 million ($520M USD) in revenue generated. With numbers like this, the Paris bid team is no doubt "keen to discuss the potential of esports being added to the programme with the IOC".

While Esports has already been included in Indonesian 2018 and China 2020 Asian Games, it's likely that their performance at these major events will be key in deciding whether Esports makes the cut for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, will be one of the major players in the final decision making for Esports's potential Olympic debut.

“We are not yet 100% clear whether esports is really sport,” [Bach] said, identifying the lack of physical activity as a potential issue. On the flip side, he did point towards esports’ “high engagement from the youth”, which could prove to be a considerable boon for the Games in its bid to reach a younger demographic.

While Bach remains undecided, Tony Estanguet, Co-President of Paris 2024, is more optimistic on the issue.

“I think it’s interesting to interact with the IOC and the esports family to better understand what the process is and why it is such a success. There is some time to look at it, to interact, to engage. I don’t want to say ‘no’ from the beginning.” However, [Estanguet] did it that its the IOC who will have the last word on the verdict.

Given Esports's increasing popularity as well as its booming revenue numbers, it's a likely wager that we'll be seeing an Esports event on the Olympic horizon to come. In the meantime, Esports is already garnering its fair share of big movers and shakers, and the industry's potential has only just begun.