The Future of Fandom: Why Esports and Gaming Are Outpacing Traditional Sports

Are Traditional Sports Losing Their Grip on the Next Generation?

For many decades, traditional sports leagues like Europe’s "Big Five" football leagues or the Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the U.S. have served as cultural and commercial bedrocks. But in 2024 and beyond, signs of structural decline are becoming increasingly visible — especially among younger audiences.

Across Europe, the cracks are showing. In the 2023–24 season, aggregate broadcast revenue for Europe’s top football leagues grew by just 1% year-on-year, reaching €9.4 billion—the slowest growth among all major revenue streams for the second year running.¹ More troubling is the declining interest from the under-35 demographic, where sports viewership has dropped nearly 25% since 2015. Young Europeans, much like their peers in the U.S., are abandoning traditional broadcasts in favor of digital-first platforms like YouTube and TikTok, which offer algorithm-driven, bite-sized content that aligns better with their media consumption habits.²

In this context, new leagues like Spain’s Kings League and Germany’s Baller League are rapidly gaining traction. Built from the ground up with Gen Z in mind, these fast-paced, influencer-driven formats are streamed on Twitch and YouTube, and integrate elements of gaming, reality TV, and live sports. Their success highlights a broader shift in what the next generation values in sports: interactivity, accessibility, and entertainment—rather than heritage and tradition alone.

This pattern echoes in the U.S. as well. MLB is struggling to connect with younger fans. A 2024 CivicScience study ranked baseball dead last in popularity among Gen Z compared to other major leagues.³ Even recent rule changes aimed at shortening games and making the sport more dynamic haven’t reversed the decline. Financial strains are also surfacing more publicly: ESPN opted out of its long-standing partnership with MLB, citing a mismatch between the $550 million it paid annually for broadcast rights and the $150 million it recouped in ad revenue—a stark reminder of the growing disconnect between cost and actual audience reach.⁴

The NBA, often seen as the digital-native league, is not immune either. While its bite-sized highlight clips thrive on social media, full-game viewership has fallen sharply. ESPN reported a 28% drop in viewership in late 2024, and opening night ratings were down 42% year-over-year.⁵ Even the NFL—long the unrivaled titan of U.S. broadcast sports—has begun to feel the pressure. Though it still leads all leagues by a wide margin in terms of total viewership, its average ratings dipped by 2.2% over the 2024 season.⁶ That slight but notable decline underscores a broader trend: even the most established broadcast juggernauts are not insulated from the generational shift toward streaming, short-form content, and on-demand consumption.

In both the U.S. and Europe, traditional sports leagues are discovering that legacy alone is no longer enough. To stay relevant, they’ll need to reckon with the new rules of engagement set by a generation raised on streaming, interactivity, and on-demand everything.

Esports and Gaming Offer What Modern Audiences Actually Want

While traditional sports are struggling to reinvent themselves for a digital-first world, eSports and gaming are meeting young audiences where they are on digital platforms, with interactive content, and in spaces that prioritize community and participation.

The eSports audience was expected to surpass 900 million by 2024 and its global revenue has reached $4.3 billion by 2024. Nearly half of this global audience falls under the age of 35, positioning eSports squarely within the demographic traditional leagues are losing. The broader gaming industry is even more impressive, on track to reach $321 billion in global revenue by 2026.⁷

Esports Revenues Worldwide in Billions

What sets eSports apart is its inherent interactivity. Unlike passive broadcast formats, eSports events often take place on platforms like Twitch or YouTube, where fans can engage directly with streamers, teams, and each other. Viewers can participate in real-time chats, vote on in-game decisions, and even contribute financially to their favorite content creators. This type of two-way engagement is absent in traditional sports and helps build strong, sticky relationships between fans and franchises.

Esports also integrates seamlessly into the larger entertainment ecosystem. Events frequently feature musical performances, influencer crossovers, and community-generated content. This blend of gaming, pop culture, and real-time interaction has created an entirely new kind of fan experience, one that aligns perfectly with the expectations of Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Key Differences Between Esports and Traditional Sports

The structural differences between traditional sports and eSports go beyond format. Esports and gaming have a fundamentally more scalable, globally accessible, and digitally monetizable model. This table highlights several of the most important contrasts:

Source: VanEck Analysis, 2025; Demographic Data from GWI Sports Audience Report 2024.

Key Takeaways

The sports world is evolving quickly. What was once dominated by stadiums, cable networks, and passive viewing is being replaced by interactive platforms, global audiences, and deeply participatory ecosystems. Traditional leagues like MLB and the NBA may not vanish, but their cultural and financial dominance is clearly eroding.

Esports and gaming aren't just a niche alternative, they are the new mainstream. And for those looking to invest in the future of fandom, the time to act is now.