Brand Manager's Guide to Esports

By Dan Kost

Esports is no longer a niche. It is a multi-billion-dollar media ecosystem reaching audiences that traditional sports cannot - and brand managers who treat it as a novelty are already falling behind.

A Brand Manager's Guide to Esports is the first operational playbook written specifically for marketing professionals, sponsorship directors, and corporate decision-makers who need more than theory. Built on years of real-world ecosystem development through Dakdan Worldwide, this book maps every tier of competitive gaming - from high school and community college leagues to university programs, senior leagues, and military esports - and shows exactly how brands activate profitably inside each one.

Inside, you will find:

Sponsorship strategy across local, regional, and national tiers, including naming rights, broadcast integration, and pod-based activationAudience demographics and psychographics that reveal where esports and traditional sports audiences overlap - and where they divergeROI measurement frameworks for Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and live tournament environmentsNon-endemic brand entry strategies built for companies outside the gaming industryThe Fanz Ecosystem - social media, streaming, tournament management, DOOH advertising, and NFT marketplace tools available for brand activation todayNIL, digital collectibles, and athlete brand building for sponsors targeting the collegiate marketA 90-day brand plan and complete implementation roadmap for national sponsors

Every platform described is operational. Every league structure is active. Every sponsorship opportunity can be activated now.

Whether you manage a national consumer brand, a regional franchise, or a government recruitment program, this guide gives you the strategic framework to enter esports with confidence - and the operational playbook to stay there profitably.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0916539601
• ISBN13: 9780916539603
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Sports Media Inc.
• Length: 294 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"