eSports viewership hits 70 million worldwide, 31.4 million in US alone - SuperData
eSports is very popular, according to industry digital research firm SuperData which found that over 70 million people worldwide tune in to watch players battle it out, and of that number, 31.4 million viewers comes from the US alone.
According to the SuperData eSports Brief, which reports the growth of the overall eSports market, worldwide viewership has doubled in the last year and the prize pools have increased substantially.
Prizes hit $25 million in 2013 with Dota2 The International offering the largest pool at $2.87 million.
Young males between the ages of 21 and 34 years accounted for more than three-quarters of US viewership.
"eSports are a rapidly growing industry with viewership increasing almost eight-fold in the last four years, according to our estimates and those of our pals Newzoo," according to SuperData. "This global surge is particularly fueled by the ongoing explosive uptake in Western markets.
"We estimate the total viewership of eSports to have surpassed 70 million in 2013, doubling year-over-year. Almost half of those viewers, 31.4 million, come from the United States where males account for 70% of frequent viewers and participants."