eSports

Odgers Berndtson: Annual income of esports top management can reach $170 000

Published

5 years ago

September 10, 2020

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Headhunters are often among the first to identify trends, thereby making them the people who come to find the best managers.

The esports market has also followed this trend. Since 2015, we have seen the formation of a new large-scale industry. Initially the clubs and teams looked like a group of niche enthusiasts without any built-up system, wishing to attract 1-2 professionals from the corporate world. Today the industry looks as a full-fledged ecosystem of the largest clubs, companies and holdings. Each of them has its own staff, corporate structure and Leadership Team. However, there is very little systematized information about the internal structure of cybersports, such as what the clubs have in common or what is the salary market like, although the transparency of an industry is one of the most important factors in its growth and development.

Odgers Berndtson has interviewed twenty top club managers around the world – from North America to Oceania, including Western Europe, Russia and the CIS countries. The results of this study will be useful for all market participants: clubs to compare themselves with competitors, investors who want to enter the esports market, professionals who want to work in the industry, and for fans who are interested in understanding what’s behind their favorite players.

Organisational structures

During interviews with representatives of esports clubs, we have identified 2 main management models (each of them can be subdivided into 2 subcategories):

The first model is a business structure with traditional key functions inside: Sales, Operations, HR, Finance, etc., which report to the CEO. These structures follow the classic organisational model from the corporate world. 81% of the clubs we surveyed have this type of organisational structure.

The remaining 19% of clubs have only two key managers – CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and COO (Chief Operating Officer), who share areas of responsibility among themselves. The most common configuration is when one manager develops such functions as Sales, Marketing and Gaming, and the another one is responsible for the back-office (accounting, finance, etc.). In 50 % of these companies the club outsources the functions of sales and marketing, and the rest have these functions (including sales and marketing) implemented internally.

Sports management

The main resource of the esports business are players, teams, and sports results. Nowadays, clubs use 2 main models of sports management. 57% of clubs have a Sports Director / Chief Gaming Officer who is responsible for team management and sports performance. In the remaining 43%, this function is linked with one of the top managers of the club (CEO / COO). The main factor in both approaches is the CEO / COO’s personal professional gaming experience.

Compensation packages

After we have gathered and systemized all data of compensation packages in the clubs, we saw a big difference in absolute values (up to 10 times). This is due to the different living standards in the regions where esports clubs are present. To present the relevant average earnings in key positions, we removed 10% of the minimum and maximum values.

Annual income:

• CEO – from $ 70,000 to $ 170,000 gross;

• COO – from $ 50,000 to $ 160,000 $ gross;

• CCO (Sales, Partnerships, Sponsorships) / CMO (Content, Marketing, PR) – from $ 50,000 to $ 150,000 gross;

• HRD / CFO / CIO / Legal Director – from $ 40,000 to $ 120,000 gross.

Compensation packages insights

Over the past 1.5-2 years, the structure of compensation packages has changed towards a form similar to other industries – a fixed part and a bonus (the amount of which depends on the KPIs fulfillment). It is important to note that about 40% of top clubs stimulate their top team with long-term incentives (LTI).

The main KPIs for top management are operational: P&L performance, growth number of subscribers on social networks and active fans, views of matches / team content, users retention, and attraction of partners.

Most of Chief Gaming Officer and the CEO have sports results reflected in KPIs. This distinguishes esports managers from colleagues who manage clubs in traditional sports, where in most cases the entire team of top managers has an additional bonus from the team’s athletic performance.

Market trends

• An esports club is no longer just a collection of players who play for themselves or their investor. It is a full-fledged business with media and commercial parts. Esports has become a valuable part of the entertainment market;

• The staff ranges from 18 to 75 people. Only 21% of the organizations we had surveyed have more than 50 employees. Esports clubs, unlike traditional sports teams, still have compact structures;

• Esports companies are becoming increasingly mature and open toward external markets. They hire people having no professional gaming experience, invite business consultants to tackle recruitment tasks, draft strategy and move the club forward;

• Proper P&L management is a short- or mid-term task for 75% of top clubs;

• Employment’s agreements with athletes have changed:

– KPIs for sports results now included

– employment contracts became long-term;

– the club’s share has increased in the prize money from tournaments.

About the study:

Odgers Berndtson is one of the largest international consulting companies with a focus on top executive search, assessment and development. Odgers Berndtson is the only executive search company with a dedicated Global Gaming Practice. The practice specialises on recruiting executive teams for the gaming and esports industries.

Full text: https://www.odgersberndtson.com/en-ru/insights/e-sports-from-the-insider

Authors: Leonid Koen, Andrey Salitov.

Brazilian Carnival

Esportes da Sorte transforms Carnival 2026 into a nationwide immersive experience

Published

7 days ago

February 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

esportes-da-sorte-transforms-carnival-2026-into-a-nationwide-immersive-experience

Leading Brazilian iGaming company Esportes da Sorte has transformed Carnival 2026 into a nationwide immersive experience, activating urban art installations, hydration stations and large‑scale attractions across nine cities in Brazil. As part of its expanded cultural engagement strategy, the brand is serving as an official sponsor in key Carnival locations and delivering experiential initiatives designed for revelers in the streets and major public spaces.

Esportes da Sorte’s nationwide platform builds on its history of investing in popular culture and public events, moving beyond traditional branding to create meaningful on‑site activations that enhance the urban environment and respond to the unique character of each city’s Carnival celebrations.

In Rio de Janeiro, the company’s efforts focus on the street Carnival experience with hydration points, cool zones and shaded areas in high‑traffic celebration routes. São Paulo’s megabloc circuits feature water trucks, hydration stations and on‑site urban support.

In Recife Antigo, one of Carnival’s cultural centers, Esportes da Sorte installed a standout Ferris wheel at Marco Zero, offering panoramic views of the festivities and historic landscape. Urban transformations like video mapping on iconic buildings and aerial installations along Rua Marquês de Olinda further blend public space with the Carnival experience.

Other cities such as Olinda and Salvador also feature tailored activations, including sensory design, refreshment tunnels and themed artistic displays that align with local traditions and festival dynamics.

In addition to physical structures, the initiative includes a robust communications strategy, sensory activations, public well‑being supports and content campaigns that amplify the carnival‑street experience across digital and traditional media.

According to Germana Casal, Production Coordinator at the Esportes Gaming Brasil Group, the goal is to “be present in a meaningful way at the country’s biggest popular celebration,” respecting each city’s identity and delivering initiatives that improve the Carnival experience for participants.

Esportes da Sorte’s Carnival 2026 project builds on the brand’s presence at more than 100 Carnival parties and street blocos in 2025, reinforcing its leadership role in Brazil’s largest cultural event and deepening its connection with urban celebration culture nationwide.

The post Esportes da Sorte transforms Carnival 2026 into a nationwide immersive experience appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

chess esports

Team Vitality announces E.Leclerc as new Main Partner

Published

7 days ago

February 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-vitality-announces-e.leclerc-as-new-main-partner

Team Vitality, one of France’s leading esports organizations, has announced a strategic new partnership with French retail giant E.Leclerc, naming the supermarket chain as the club’s Main Partner for 2026.

Under the agreement, E.Leclerc’s logo will feature prominently on Team Vitality’s international team jerseys, including rosters for League of Legends (LEC and LFL), Valorant (VCT EMEA), Rocket League, Rising Bees and Chess.

Shared Values and Fan Initiatives

The partnership aims to promote accessibility, wellness, and nutrition within the esports community, while bringing gaming culture into E.Leclerc retail spaces through immersive experiences, tournaments and activations designed to engage fans across France.

Team Vitality’s holistic wellbeing program, KARE, which supports performance, nutrition and mental health, aligns closely with E.Leclerc’s focus on responsible lifestyle initiatives. Together, they plan to champion inclusivity, provide unique gaming opportunities, and celebrate esports culture in both digital and physical environments.

With a global audience exceeding 10 million followers, Team Vitality’s influence in competitive gaming makes this partnership a landmark moment for both brands. E.Leclerc’s commitment to youth engagement and cultural connection positions the retailer as a significant non‑endemic supporter of the growing esports ecosystem.

Nicolas Maurer, CEO and Co‑Founder of Team Vitality, described the alliance as a historic milestone that will broaden esports’ reach across everyday life in France and reinforce its cultural legitimacy.

The post Team Vitality announces E.Leclerc as new Main Partner appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AI chatbot esports

G2 Esports and Theta Labs Launch AI Agent Sami

Published

7 days ago

February 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

g2-esports-and-theta-labs-launch-ai-agent-sami

G2 Esports has partnered with Theta Labs to launch “Sami,” a next-generation AI agent designed to enhance fan engagement across multiple competitive esports titles.

The AI-powered assistant will provide G2’s global fanbase with instant access to match schedules, player stats, team rosters, tournament standings, and real-time competitive updates. Sami supports major titles including League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, and Call of Duty.

Accessible via the official G2 website and Discord starting February 17, Sami is built to deliver accurate, always-on responses to fan queries in natural language. From tournament updates to player performance metrics and G2-specific trivia, the AI agent reflects the organization’s unique brand voice and competitive culture.

AI-Powered Fan Engagement at Scale

Sami is trained and deployed using Theta EdgeCloud’s hybrid cloud-edge infrastructure, which integrates over 30,000 distributed edge nodes with cloud services from Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services. The system delivers approximately 80 PetaFLOPS of GPU compute power, enabling real-time processing and analysis at significantly reduced costs compared to traditional centralized cloud platforms.

The AI infrastructure dynamically assigns workloads to high-performance GPUs, including NVIDIA A100 and H100 cloud GPUs, as well as RTX 3090 and 4090 desktop GPUs, optimizing performance and cost efficiency. This decentralized architecture allows G2 to scale fan engagement globally while maintaining low latency and high reliability.

Strengthening Esports AI Innovation

Theta Labs has rapidly expanded its presence in the esports industry, powering AI-driven fan experiences for organizations such as Cloud9, FlyQuest, Evil Geniuses, NRG, Gen.G, Dignitas, 100 Thieves, Method, and Team Heretics.

According to Mitch Liu, CEO of Theta Labs, esports fans increasingly demand instant access to team data and competitive updates. AI agents like Sami enable organizations to provide 24/7 automated engagement while maintaining a unique community personality.

Sabrina Ratih, COO of G2 Esports, emphasized that Sami is more than a standard chatbot. Built to reflect G2’s playful and competitive tone, the AI assistant combines advanced machine learning with brand-driven communication to deliver both entertainment and functionality.

The Future of AI in Esports

The launch of Sami positions G2 Esports at the forefront of AI-driven fan engagement in competitive gaming. By leveraging decentralized GPU infrastructure and blockchain-powered cloud computing, the partnership with Theta Labs signals a broader industry shift toward scalable, cost-efficient AI solutions for esports organizations.

As AI integration becomes a competitive differentiator in esports, solutions like Sami are expected to redefine how teams interact with their global communities in real time.

The post G2 Esports and Theta Labs Launch AI Agent Sami appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.