Abstract:
Esports are a growing industry across the world. This thesis reviews the history/success
of several esport leagues and identifies the factors that make these leagues successful. As a result
of preliminary research, the primary goal of this study will be to develop a model that could
predict the success of esport leagues. These factors include mainstream appeal of esports, league
structure examples, and general broadcasting reach. The model is then used to examine the
Overwatch League, an esport league that began competition in 2018, and concludes that the
Overwatch League is structured for sustained success in the esport market.