Welcome to my first article here at AFK Gaming!
It’s safe to say that esports is one of the fastest growing industries in the world at the moment. Whether investments from major venture companies, partnerships with big mainstream brands, or limited edition merchandise collaborations with the likes of Gucci, obviously there's a lot of money swirling around esports to be made by all.
However, to me, at the heart of it will always be the connection between esports organizations and the players/teams they work with. That connection, good or bad, can define a player’s career, can help catapult an esports org to bigger heights or even be a part of both the player and org crumbling! The relationship between esports orgs and players has evolved massively over the past ten years in the more established regions of the world, whether we’re talking about G2 Esports in Europe, Cloud9 in North America, or T1 in South Korea to name a few. These orgs have looked to develop the players to put them in the limelight. When you think of Rasmus “Caps” Borregaard, you think of G2 right? And when you think of Oleksandr “S1mple” Kostyliev, Na'vi will likely come to mind. When the player and team shines, the org shines.
But in South Asia, it’s a relatively new relationship where both sides are still trying to find their feet. This is a region that continues to break barriers, set viewership records, and prove to its own region and the world that esports is here to stay. And of course, this has meant that we have mistakes and over-ambitious expectations being made by both sides, intentionally or otherwise, less likely to be seen in the regions mentioned above.
This article aims to serve as an informative and educational guide for both current and future org owners. Aspiring and established players will likely find value in this as well. In turn, this will hopefully help evolve the mentality and relationship between both sides, allowing for the greater chance of success for all. So let's start with the basics.
DISCLAIMER: No information provided herein should be construed as legal advice. AFK Gaming shall not be liable for consequences of any action taken by relying on the information provided herein.
What are the roles of esports organizations and players?
The general intention of an org should be to support its player(s)/team(s), provide them with necessary equipment, encourage growth, provide a level of stability for them to succeed, as well as obviously become financially successful itself.
The general intentions of an esports player/team should be to compete at the highest level possible under the org, represent the org inside and outside of the game in a general way that is within the standards of the org, help grow themselves and the orgs social media/content numbers, and overall be a part of the orgs financial success.
