by Trev Keane, Esports Columnist
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Top tier esports is emerging as such a big business that major teams approach competitions in a similar vein to how professional clubs and their athletes do.
Psychology sessions with players – tick, nutrition sessions – tick, body coaches – tick – esports teams even go as far as setting up training camps where esports players get to work on their game as a group and build the team dynamics.
A bootcamp is a physical location where players get together to develop their skills. Bootcamps are a great way to improve communication, teamwork, and chemistry in a team. They allow for kinks to be ironed out within a team and allow for better in-game tactics to emerge.
Team dynamics are a huge aspect of esports. A good functioning team that is in sync with each can develop into a major winning team. Bootcamps create an environment where this can develop.
With esports tournaments and squads structured on a regional basis, teams are often not based in the same city, sometimes not even in the same country.
For example, at EPIC Global we have worked with teams where players have been in England, Holland, and Hungary. Developing a team dynamic from afar can be a challenge so having bootcamps at regular interviews provides an opportunity for an esports team and its players to improve.
Typically, bootcamps will take place in the build up to a major event and will last 2-3 weeks, depending on the size of the opportunity and the value aligned with it. Given the logistics involved in arranging a bootcamp, a short-term approach does not lend itself well to setting one up.
One of the main requirements is internet. The team needs to have a wired connection that is strong. In addition, they require PCs, gaming chairs, monitors and a place to stay.
Locations such as Poland, Serbia and Romania have emerged as strong bootcamp locations in recent years while closer to home, the Isle of Man is bidding to position itself as an esports hub. Ireland, with its proximity to Europe not to mention strong city led broadband connectivity has a real opportunity to position themselves as the go to location of choice for major esports teams.
Working to provide a strong infrastructure for teams would not only benefit the economy in terms of food and beds for extended periods but it would also showcase the country to a new audience. Top esports teams have social reach similar to mid-sized Premier League clubs, but with a demographic that sits in the elusive Gen Z cohort.
A big opportunity for brand Ireland.
