‘The courts in England and Wales are yet to deal with substantive e-sports claims but the fast-growing nature of the industry and the commercial naivety of many participants means this will not be the case for long,’ Barclay & Burley write.
In a fascinating article, they cover some of the opportunities and challenges in this field for sports litigators.
In a sign of the fast-growing popularity of the industry, broadcasters such as Sky Sports are venturing into the market, although most live gameplay is currently broadcast on YouTube, Facebook or Twitch.
In 2017 106 million fans streamed the League of Legends tournament—more people than watched the Superbowl that year.
Potential disputes could involve contracts, employment rights, intellectual property, sponsorship, advertising and match-fixing.
