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Do the Peculiar Economics of Professional Team Sports Apply to Esports? Sequential Snowballing Literature Reviews and Implications

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  • Nicolas Scelles

    (Department of Economics, Policy and International Business, Manchester Metropolitan University, Business School, All Saints Campus, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6BH, UK)

  • Qi Peng

    (Department of Economics, Policy and International Business, Manchester Metropolitan University, Business School, All Saints Campus, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6BH, UK)

  • Maurizio Valenti

    (Department of Economics, Policy and International Business, Manchester Metropolitan University, Business School, All Saints Campus, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6BH, UK)

Abstract

The present research aims to identify the main peculiar economics of professional team sports, reflect on whether they apply to esports, and derive some implications. To achieve this aim, two sequential snowballing literature reviews were conducted. First, the literature on the peculiar economics of professional team sports was reviewed and assessed by the authors, based on their degree of distinctiveness and how core they are for the sector. Second, based on the main peculiar economics identified, a similar process considering economic aspects in the esports literature was conducted. The first review enabled the identification of 50 peculiar economics of professional team sports, of which 12 were assessed as the most distinctive and core to the sector. These 12 main peculiar economics were then considered in relation to the esports literature. This second review enabled the identification of some economic similarities and differences between sports and esports, before deriving some implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas Scelles & Qi Peng & Maurizio Valenti, 2021. "Do the Peculiar Economics of Professional Team Sports Apply to Esports? Sequential Snowballing Literature Reviews and Implications," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:9:y:2021:i:1:p:31-:d:511462
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thomas Newham & Nicolas Scelles & Maurizio Valenti, 2022. "The Consequences of a Switch to Free-to-Play for Overwatch and Its Esports League," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Bastien Viollet & Nicolas Scelles & Qi Peng, 2023. "From Sport Policy to National Federation Sport Policy: An Integrative Literature Review and Conceptualisation Attempt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Taeyeon Oh & Seomgyun Lee & Hayley Jang, 2023. "Outcome Uncertainty and ESports Viewership: The Case of Overwatch League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 24(8), pages 971-992, December.

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