Non-profit eSports organisation Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is collaborating with Dr Rosa Naudé-Potgieter from the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT’s) Department of Tourism Management, to help the eSports body gain better understanding of the local eSports landscape.
According to a statement, the partnership will include conducting in-depth research into the industry, with emphasis on the need to support local eSports. It will unpack players’ travel trends and behaviour, as well as eSports participants’ economic spending on the online sport.
Understanding this form of sport will inform the industry of the potential opportunities that can be capitalised on, as well as the needs of the participants, it says. Some of the envisaged sub-research topics will include what is needed to take the industry forward, notes MSSA.
“We are looking forward to the results of these unique studies, as it can guide the tourism industry on what improvements can be made to hopefully capture this market and reap the economic benefits,” Dr Naudé-Potgieter states.
eSports can be described as online gaming with organised competitions that take place on a professional sporting level. It has been identified by the Department of Tourism as a platform that can significantly contribute to the South African tourism industry.
The new collaboration is one of the TUT department’s priorities, as the institution looks to have a footprint in gaming research to prepare for the implementation of the new Casino Resort Management qualification, to be offered from the beginning of 2024.
MSSA is a non-profit organisation and affiliate of the International eSports Federation, Federation de Jeau du Mondiale and International Wargames Federation. The organisation is responsible for facilitating gaming events and promotion of board games, card games, robotics and eSports in SA.
MSSA president Colin Webster is equally enthusiastic about the results of this study and points out: "The results will further clarify the eSports landscape, which will benefit all involved, whether they are sponsors, spectators and/or athletes."
In the local education sector, more institutions are embracing eSports as part of their curriculum, to harness its potential to teach scholars mental toughness, leadership skills, sportsmanship and communication skills, according to experts.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, eSports has slowly gained traction within SA’s learning sector, with schools such as Curro joining the eSports movement.
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