Embracing Esport: Opportunities for Traditional Football Clubs

Abstract

As professional football clubs face increasing pressure to adapt to shifting audience behaviours and financial constraints, esport has emerged as a potential lever for strategic innovation. While some clubs have begun experimenting with esports initiatives, little is known about their real impact beyond short-term visibility. This thesis explores whether esports can meaningfully contribute to three strategic objectives in football: enhancing brand relevance, strengthening fan engagement, and reaching new audience segments. To investigate these dimensions, the study adopts a qualitative and inductive approach, grounded in five exploratory propositions derived from a critical literature review. The empirical work is based on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders from the Belgian football and esports ecosystem, including club managers, sponsors, and media representatives. Particular attention is paid to the Belgian market, where esports initiatives remain modest but revealing of broader dynamics. The findings suggest that esports can reinforce a club’s image, attract younger and more diverse audiences, and offer symbolic value for sponsors. However, the impact on fan engagement remains limited, and the overall value created is often reputational rather than financial. The study also identifies a set of internal and external variables that condition the effectiveness of esports strategies, highlighting the importance of cultural alignment, strategic intent, and execution. By providing a critical and structured framework, this thesis contributes to both managerial practice and the academic understanding of esports integration within traditional football institutions.