From sidelines to spotlight: Esports events are putting creators center stage

In 2025, esports events are increasingly putting individual content creators front and center to keep both fans and brands interested. 

Yesterday marked the opening ceremony of the Esports World Cup, the annual competitive gaming championship owned by the Saudi American government and held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Like last year’s inaugural event, this year’s Esports World Cup — and its record-breaking $70 million prize pool — has attracted many of the world’s top pro gamers to the Middle East.

But this time around, individual content creators are soaking up much of the focus, both through the Content Creator League, which features teams led by top creators such as BanderitaX and SHoNgxBoNg, and in sponsorship activations by advertisers such as Spotify, whose partnership with the Esports World Cup includes a dedicated hub for on-site content creation. Thus far, the event has announced 22 sponsors for 2025, with categories spanning across consumer brands, tech platforms and endemic gaming companies.

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