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.
The Do’s and Don'ts for Esports Organizations in South Asia
With the basics of both sides out of the way, let's get into some deeper do’s and don’ts, starting with the org;
DO provide a legal binding contract for the player/team to sign, outlining relevant terms such as salary, org cut percentage from prize winnings, and branding standards amongst other things. Make sure the contract is signed by both parties before the player/team competes under your name. The contract is obviously there to protect both the org and player/team.
DO NOT set different player/team salaries or/and org percentage cut for future tournament results. Most players/teams already find it hard to deal with the pressure and stress of a big upcoming tournament. To know that their income from the org is absolutely directly affected by a good or bad result will only add more pressure as well as damages the trust between the org and player/team.
DO NOT take back any equipment provided to the player/team while they are playing under the org after they leave. Any equipment provided should always be theirs to keep as at the end of the day, it allows for a continued evolution and growth of the wider esports scene irrespective of one orgs investment. Retracting their equipment also takes away trust and adds fear to the relationship between the player/team and org. All details regarding equipment provided should be explicitly mentioned either in contract or/and at the time of it being provided.
DO NOT directly use the money earned by the player/team from tournaments to financially grow the org. For example, the percentage the org takes from tournament winnings should be no more than 10-20%. When an org is selfish in its cut, it ultimately suffocates the growth of esports in the region. When I was a director of mobile gaming at an org, I set the percentage cut from tournament winnings to initially 15% on any amount between $500 USD & $1,000 USD, and 10% on any amount higher than $1,000 USD. This meant in community tournaments that might have a small prize pool (under $500 USD), the player/team benefit from 100% of the winnings while still promoting the org. Simultaneously, this would encourage both parties to look for bigger tournament prize pool opportunities so that they get a higher percentage of the prize pool.
DO look to use the player/team to help grow the org’s public exposure and social media numbers (whether on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or otherwise). This in turn, allows the org to seek out sponsorships with brands that are looking to reach a high number of people due to the player/team that is representing the org. As said by Global Esports CEO, Dr. Rushindra Sinha, “GE’s revenue model is split into two tiers. Tier one revenue streams are those that GE believe are scalable and worth investing in, while tier two is the low hanging fruit that comes with a lot less effort.” Orgs should look to find what revenue streams are scalable and which are low hanging fruit.
DO promote a healthy attitude to gaming & dealing with the public to the player/team, whether in the form of social media training, public relations training or otherwise. It can in turn help ease pressure outside of the game. As a result, this enables unlocking the maximum potential for both the org and the player/team to look good in the eyes of the community, as well as succeeding in tournaments due to less negativity and toxicity.
I know, sounds pretty basic, but you would be surprised how many of those aren't followed by orgs across South Asia. However, now for some deeper dos and don'ts for a player/team;
The Do’s and Don'ts for Esports Players/Teams in South Asia
DO make sure there is a contract that is satisfactory to you, agreed and signed before you compete under the org’s banner. Make sure you ask any question you want about the contract to the org so you can best understand the contract and the terms within it. Outside of that, it’s also healthy to seek legal advice about the contract. The basics of a solid contract should be a salary, any equipment needed, social media support, general player/team support, and graphical support.
DO represent that org with the highest respect within the public eye. That means your behaviour, attitude, actions, and reactions should all be within the guidelines of the org as well as simply being respectful to the reputation of the org and yourself.
DO NOT allow yourself to cause or be a part of drama within the community. It’s never the easiest navigating through the craziness of esports, competing, and everything around it. Sometimes it’s too easy to think before you type, write something brash, and feel like it's okay to say anything you want. Be considerate that your actions/reactions can affect others. Talk to your org, get advice, and allow them to address any drama if needed. Taunting or ridiculing your enemy has its limits and the player/team should be aware not to cross it. However, do remember that in-game psychology plays a big part in giving you an edge. Engaging in something such as using a pan to confirm a kill in PUBG Mobile is perfectly normal. Keep it in game, don’t make it personal.
DO look to promote yourself and the org on social media, build up a community around you that can increase social media engagement and help put the org in a position of attracting more sponsors.
DO ask for equipment that will help you compete at the highest level. Whether that is a new device, headset, cooling accessory, stream equipment, etc. But always be aware that the org might not financially be in a position at the time to provide any equipment to you. If that is the case and goes against the terms laid out in the contract, and you are not happy with that, then you should be open to exiting your contract once legal grounds of the contract allow you to do so. Seeking legal advice over exiting your contract is advisable
There is, of course, so much more to navigating a successful journey between an org and a player/team. It’s not always going to work out the first time around and there is always something to learn. I definitely made some mistakes when I was with GODSENT but I was always learning how to be better at my role, working with players/teams around me. We are human after all and nobody is immune to making mistakes.
The end goal should be the same on both sides; help each other be part of the growth of esports, the cultural normality of esports, and the careers within it. We all have a part to play in the perception, growth, and enjoyment of esports for everyone across the world. Let’s all be part of putting South Asian esports on the map.
