As a casual garner, you might be wondering what an esports athlete does both in general and on a daily basis. In this article, we will examine what a professional esports athlete does in his/her career and daily life.
Who is an Esports Athlete?
An esports athlete is someone who plays games competitively on a professional level. For some with a traditional mindset they might seem far away from the definition of an athlete, however, they play their games very competitively in a sportive way which makes them an esports athlete. These players are not casual gamers, but players who have mastered their game of choice. They have excelled among millions of gamers and shined with their high performance to become professional esports players. Most professional esports athletes exclusively compete in esports and make a living out of it. Contrary to popular belief, one can earn much more money than expected by becoming a professional esports player. There are independent players on the competitive scene, however, upon reaching a certain level, most players opt for joining an organization that allows for more competitive opportunities as well as more renown.
What does an Esports Athlete do for a living?
As mentioned before, most esports athletes can make a living only by playing their games at a professional level. Once a player becomes very proficient in a game and shows themselves in an amateur arena, they will be noticed by teams and be offered a job to play under their organization with a contract. Upon signing a contract with a team, the player becomes a part of that team. Even though it differs from contract to contract, most players receive monthly salaries, plus a pre-determined share of any tournament earnings. Players can also earn bonuses for professional achievements and performances. Generally, esports athletes train until they join a tournament, in which they can earn a share of the featured prize pool.
What does an Esports Coach do in a day?
Esports athletes playing under an organization generally live in the gaming house of the organization. These gaming houses usually provide a living space and a gaming space for the players. An esports player spends most of his day training and playing casual or ranked matches in the game he/she is competing in. Professional esports players spend more than 8 hours a day practicing their skills alone and spend another 6-8 hours playing with their team. Most teams have regular scrims, which is professional teams playing against each other outside of any competitive organization to train and develop new strategies. Some organizations offer fitness programs and special diets for their players in order for them to be in the most suitable condition for gaming professionally. Of course, there are off days for esports players. Usually, the coach of the team plans the schedule of the players.
Who do Esports Athletes work with?
First of all, most esports athletes work with other athletes to form up a team, except for the games that require only one player. To form up a team, you don’t have to be under an organization. But once you start working under a professional esports team, you will be working with a lot of people. Most teams have a manager that manages everything happening on the team. They over see any official processes and essentially run the team. Then almost every team has a coach, who determines strategies and carefully works with players to improve team performance. There are also games that encourage more coach involvement in gameplay. There are different types of coaches, ranging from strategy coaches to analysts.
Professional esports players also have to be in contact and work together with Social Media Managers and Content Creators in order for their team to produce content for their followers and fans.
How to become an esports athlete?
To become an esports athlete you need to be very successful in a game of your choice. It is all up to you to become a professional esports athlete. If you think you’ve got what it takes to play competitively, you can join amateur tournaments and leagues. Nowadays, it is very easy to find teams without organizations to play on an amateur level. To move even further you need to show successful performance in amateur leagues, tournaments, andorganizations.
Once you catch the attention of some teams with your performance, you can receive offers to work under an organization. After that, you can become an esports athlete that competes in a professional competitive arena. Even if you are not signed with an organization.
