Want Job Growth? Building the Digital Economy Through Esports

As I reminisce about my time as a Smart City Strategist for Accenture Middle East, I realize that the theoretical strategy work focused on esports and job growth in 2013 has come to life in 2024. I was always bullish on esports as a true job creator, to a point that during my time at Microsoft, I was able to implement my smart city policies by teaming up with Syracuse. It’s been over 9 years since I left the Middle East for New York. I am back visiting family and have been stunned by the rapid development thanks to Vision 2030. If you’re a policy maker or a political leader hoping to win your next election, I can’t urge you enough to really think about esports as one of your main pillars for quality job growth. Drawing on success stories from Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Syracuse, NY, this article explores how governments can leverage the esports boom to create sustainable jobs, boost local economies, and ensure better wages for everyday people.

Because in an era of digital disruption and technological innovation, few industries have captured the world’s attention as rapidly and forcefully as esports. Once dismissed as a casual hobby, competitive gaming is now a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise, complete with superstar players, massive tournaments, and dedicated fans on every continent. According to Newzoo’s 2023 Global Esports Market Report, the industry surpassed $1.5 billion in annual revenue and reached an audience of more than 540 million worldwide.

But for policymakers, city planners, and everyday workers, the true impact of esports goes far beyond streaming numbers and prize pools. Esports has emerged as a key driver of job creation, workforce development, and higher wages across a range of sectors—from software development and IT support to event management, marketing, hospitality, and beyond.

The Esports Ecosystem: More Than Just Gaming

When many people think of esports, they imagine pro gamers competing in front of millions of viewers on Twitch or YouTube. While professional players are crucial to the industry, they represent just a small slice of a vast ecosystem. Esports relies on a broad network of roles that includes:

Game Developers – Programmers, designers, and producers who create and refine the games played at esports events.
Event Organizers – Specialists who manage everything from logistics and venue rental to sponsorships and security.
Tech and Infrastructure Providers – Professionals who maintain high-speed internet, gaming hardware, and streaming platforms.
Media and Content Creators – Broadcasters, commentators (casters), social media managers, and graphic designers.
Marketing and Sponsorship Coordinators – Professionals who connect brands with esports events and teams, orchestrating partnerships that fund tournaments and player salaries.
Hospitality and Tourism Workers – People who staff hotels, restaurants, transportation services, and other amenities catering to esports visitors and fans.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) and other thought leaders, esports is a major contributor to the digital economy because of its cross-sector impact and wide variety of job opportunities. These positions are often future-ready, requiring digital and tech-savvy skills that are increasingly in demand worldwide.

Moreover, esports has stimulated wage growth in these associated fields. With rising investment from corporate sponsors, media networks, and governments, salaries for esports roles are becoming competitive. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that event coordinators and marketing specialists—two occupations essential to esports—can earn median annual wages ranging from $50,000 to $70,000, depending on location and experience. In cutting-edge tech roles like software development or network engineering, wages often rise above $80,000 per year.

Saudi Arabia: Esports as an Economic Diversification Strategy

Saudi Arabia stands out as a prime example of a government that has strategically invested in esports to stimulate economic growth and create jobs. Under its Vision 2030 framework—which aims to reduce the country’s dependence on oil—Saudi Arabia has launched a series of high-profile esports initiatives:

Gamers8 Festival: A large-scale annual festival that draws global esports tournaments and entertainment events to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Esports Federation: A governing body dedicated to promoting esports culture, regulating tournaments, and training local talent.

According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), these initiatives are projected to contribute $6.8 billion to the country’s GDP by 2030. More importantly, they are creating thousands of jobs across the kingdom, from tech start-ups and streaming companies to event management and hospitality. Many of these roles are high-paying, driven by the influx of foreign investment and government subsidies.

Saudi Arabia’s investment in esports also offers spillover benefits to other industries. As large tournaments attract international visitors, local businesses—hotels, restaurants, and transportation services—benefit from increased tourism, driving up demand for skilled labor. This cycle of investment, job creation, and wage growth is exactly what Vision 2030 aims to achieve: a diversified, resilient economy built on knowledge-based industries.

South Korea: Pioneering the Esports Landscape

Dubbed the “Mecca of Esports,” South Korea’s success story demonstrates the long-term benefits of early government support. Since the 1990s, the South Korean government has invested in high-speed internet infrastructure, recognized esports as a formal competition, and offered subsidies to gaming businesses and arenas.

Today, South Korea boasts:

A Thriving Professional Scene: World-class teams and players who dominate global tournaments in titles like League of Legends and StarCraft.
Robust Esports Curriculum: Educational programs that train aspiring players, coaches, analysts, and entrepreneurs, ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled professionals.
Cutting-Edge Tech Innovation: The focus on gaming technology has propelled advancements in 5G networks, virtual reality, and cloud computing.

According to the OECD, the esports ecosystem in South Korea supports over 80,000 jobs—ranging from data analysts and game developers to event planners and advertisers. The wages for these roles, especially in tech and media, tend to be above the national average. Additionally, the country’s global cultural export strategy, known as Hallyu or the Korean Wave, benefits from esports’ popularity, further amplifying job opportunities in related industries like music, film, and television.

Syracuse, NY: A Local Model for Growth

While the success stories of Saudi Arabia and South Korea may seem far removed from the realities of smaller cities, Syracuse, NY proves that local communities can also harness esports for job creation and wage growth. In 2023, Syracuse launched the Syracuse Esports Initiative, backed by local universities, private investors, and community organizations. The goal was to build a self-sustaining esports ecosystem that could:

Attract Major Tournaments
Create Local Jobs post Covid
Provide Training Programs for Aspiring Professionals

One of the initiative’s crowning achievements was the Esports Career Program, which drew over 300,000 attendees online during Covid. The program offered specialized training in game design, event management, shoutcasting, and streaming, helping participants to understand how to secure roles in the rapidly expanding esports industry.

Covid forced us to shift the entire event online but we laid down the blue print for what an in person week long esports conference could do for the city. Tech service companies could be hired to maintain high-speed internet and gaming equipment, while hotels and restaurants could experience a boost in revenue from tourists and event attendees. By forging public-private partnerships, Syracuse can how even smaller cities can use esports as a catalyst for economic renewal—creating opportunities that pay competitive wages and empower local residents.

Pathways to Job Creation and Higher Wages in Esports

Drawing insights from these case studies, policymakers can formulate strategies to replicate their success and ensure that esports translates into tangible benefits—most notably steady jobs and better wages.

1. Invest in Infrastructure

Esports tournaments and training programs require state-of-the-art facilities, including gaming arenas, stadiums, and high-speed internet networks. Policymakers can work with private partners to finance these ventures, much like Saudi Arabia did with the Gamers8 festival. Such projects not only create immediate construction jobs but also pave the way for long-term employment in tech maintenance, hospitality, and media production.

2. Provide Education and Training

A skilled workforce is essential for sustaining growth in esports. South Korea’s comprehensive education model for aspiring players and developers is an excellent template. Cities like Syracuse also show how localized training programs—offered through community colleges, universities, and specialized academies—can empower everyday people to gain marketable skills and earn competitive wages in a rapidly growing field.

3. Foster Public-Private Partnerships

Collaboration is key. Government agencies, private investors, and educational institutions must join forces to fund esports infrastructure, create training programs, and host major tournaments. By bringing diverse stakeholders to the table, policymakers can share costs, distribute risks, and ensure that local communities see real benefits from esports events.

4. Leverage Technology and Innovation

Esports is a technology-driven industry that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in 5G, VR, AI, and cloud computing. Governments can invest in research and development, incentivize tech start-ups, and encourage large tech firms to expand into esports. This fuels job creation in cutting-edge fields, where wages often exceed those in traditional industries.

5. Promote Inclusivity

Esports naturally appeals to a diverse audience, crossing gender, age, and cultural lines. By ensuring that events, facilities, and training programs are accessible to all, policymakers can use esports as a tool for social inclusion. Encouraging underrepresented groups to participate can open pathways to stable, higher-paying jobs in tech and media—helping to close wage gaps and promote equity.

Why Policymakers Should Act Now

The World Bank underscores the role of digital economies in shaping the future of work, emphasizing that industries like esports can be powerful levers for growth and transformation. Delaying policy action risks missing out on:

High-Quality Jobs: Esports spans a wide range of careers—from coding and data analytics to marketing and commentary—each offering competitive wages.
Global Investment: Major esports tournaments attract significant capital from sponsors and investors, bringing international visibility and revenue.
Technological Advancements: Esports fosters innovation in 5G networks, VR platforms, and AI-based analytics, further creating specialized, high-paying roles.
Youth Engagement: With its strong appeal to younger generations, esports offers a direct channel for bridging the gap between education and employment, potentially reducing youth unemployment rates.

Esports for Everyday People: Elevating Wages and Opportunities

One of the most compelling arguments for investing in esports is its ability to create tangible economic benefits for everyday people. While star players may earn astronomical prize money, the backbone of the industry consists of regular workers—event coordinators, social media specialists, graphic designers, IT support staff—who are finding stable careers in a field that did not exist two decades ago.

Entry-Level Roles: Positions like junior content creators or IT support specialists often start in the $30,000–$40,000 range but can quickly scale upward with experience.
Mid-Level Management: Event managers, marketing coordinators, and business development leads often earn $50,000–$80,000 or more, depending on location and responsibilities.
Senior and Specialized Positions: Software engineers, data scientists, and directors of esports operations can command six-figure salaries, reflecting the high demand for their expertise.

Moreover, indirect job creation benefits local communities. When thousands of fans flock to an esports tournament, they spend money at hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment venues, driving up the local economy and boosting wages in these sectors. Over time, this multiplier effect can significantly uplift regional income levels and living standards.

Conclusion: A Game-Changer for Economic Policy

Esports is no longer just about gaming—it’s a dynamic, innovative industry with the power to reshape local, national, and global economies. By studying the examples of Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Syracuse, NY, it’s clear that strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and public-private partnerships can yield sustainable jobs and higher wages for a broad cross-section of society.

For policymakers seeking to harness the promise of the digital age, esports should be a top priority. The opportunities are vast—from boosting tourism and hospitality to cultivating the next wave of tech professionals and media specialists. Now is the time to act, while esports continues its meteoric rise, bringing with it the potential for economic renewal, workforce development, and inclusive growth.

Sources

Disclaimer: I have used ChatGPT to help me draft this article and verify my sources.