Estimates to its growth potential vary, with some recent forecasts suggesting a 20.5% upward trajectory that could see the global market grow by US$3.47 billion between 2023 and 2028, which would pitch the current market value at around $3 billion.  

One of the principal drivers of this growth is attributed to the investments being made in streaming platforms and broadcast AV production infrastructure that are helping to build greater engagement with the genre’s growing online viewership.  

Additionally, a number of technology developments in recent years mean that the time is right for esports to take off. “The current status of esports couldn’t be possible without more affordable broadcast equipment, digital solutions that can be integrated with legacy equipment, the proliferation of online broadcasting, remote production, cloud-based systems, and the continuous evolution of AV systems for events,” explains Gerard Sinfreu, co-founder and director of strategic partnerships at LVP, one of the world’s largest esports operators (part of Grup Mediapro).   

“AV systems and technology are core elements of esports. All advancements on those fronts in the last 15 years have been critical for the transformation of esports from a player-only activity to an audience-focused show business.”  

Many AV and broadcast companies are focussing on the esports opportunity. However, the complexities of producing an esports event will be very different from most productions that the AV and particularly the broadcast world is used to. This was one of the recurring themes of panel discussions at the Esports Arena at ISE 2025. For example, the panel discussion ‘AV Esports – it’s in the Game’ saw experts pore over the opportunities that increased collaboration between the AV and broadcast markets can bring, and the areas in which they can learn from each other. Interestingly, one of the areas discussed was how the broadcast community can learn from esports streaming workflows in terms of production techniques for niche events.  

James Fraser-Murison, director at Fraser Esports, says that ISE’s recognition of esports as a key component of AV and live events is a significant milestone. “It demonstrates that esports is no longer a niche industry but a major player in global entertainment, requiring cutting-edge AV solutions,” he explains.  

Additionally, he points to an opportunity for broader industry collaboration, “where AV professionals can engage directly with esports organisations, content creators, and educators, creating new opportunities for partnerships and technology-driven growth,” he says.  

“The more awareness and understanding there is of esports across all the different stakeholders in the pro AV world, the better, as it will lead to new ideas and new innovations. ISE can continue to play a truly significant role in this going forward.”  

In digesting the themes and observations emanating from the ISE Esports Arena, it feels like there is a genuine opportunity for the AV and esports industries to forge a closer partnership to harness the evolving technology landscape in both areas in creating new avenues for mutual growth.   

ISE could prove to be the catalyst for a more structured relationship between the two areas. Judging by the energy and conversations in the ISE 2025 Esports Arena, it’s clear that both sectors stand to gain an enormous amount from working together.

Stay informed! 

ISE is the world-renowned annual tech show for the AV and systems integration industry, taking place in Barcelona, 3-6 February 2026. For more updates on esports and other aspects of broadcast AV, and to discover more about ISE 2026 as details are released, sign up for updates. 

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