For a long time you’ve been sitting in the stands watching the best eSports teams from around the world compete against each other. You imagined yourself under the bright lights, taking home the championship trophy.
You don’t just want to be a professional gamer on any eSports team. In fact, you have bigger aspirations. You want to form your own eSports team, with some of the elite players that you yourself have chosen.
Do you feel identified? Well, it’s normal. You are not the only one.
Forming your own eSports team is something that many of us think of. But the problem is that you don’t even know where to start. It seems like a monumental task and an unattainable goal. But this is not the case.
In this post I tell you the 10 steps to create an eSports team. Let’s do it!
1. Where to play?
It is very important that you choose a specific place; a local area where your team will “play”. Obviously it can be played from anywhere, but there are many competitions that govern their rules based on location, and therefore this will be crucial for you.
I recommend you start thinking small, and then aspire to more. Dedicate yourself to tracking local and regional competitions, and plan your strategy to attack national leagues in the medium term.
Even if it is an online activity, it is positive to consider it as a team that meets in the same place. And to begin with, it is possible that a physical place, where different players from the area train and compete at the same time, is the most appropriate way to raise your eSports team.
You can also get fans and followers in your area of influence. Surely someone from Madrid would rather cheer on a local team than a San Francisco team, don’t you think?
2. What game to play?
When you create an eSports team, you don’t have to try to build a complex structure of several teams with several games.
Having many teams means that you will have less time to devote to managing each one, decreasing the quality of the team. Start by creating a single team for a single game.
I recommend that you choose a game that you know perfectly well. It is not essential that you master the game at a functional level, but you do need to know the rules and how it works.
3. Create your own eSports brand
The mark of is one of the first things you have to work with. Having a positive brand image will add value to your team and help attract more people . The name, colors, images, logo and style will be the visible face of your team. It will be the way in which you will be identified.
In addition, you will also have to define values that identify you, so that you can differentiate yourself from the rest of the teams with the aim of attracting more followers or certain players who can feel identified.
Be unique and creative in this process. It’s probably not your strong suit. In this case, get advice or look for a professional who is in charge of the team’s corporate image. Do not forget that this is a very important point that many teams neglect at the beginning.
It is clear that a brand encompasses many things. But a small detail, which can be differentiating, is the creation of a personalized logo. With My Brand New Logo you have an intelligent logo creator, specialized in eSports. Take a look.
4. Create the organizational structure of the team
You also have to focus on the structure of the club. That is, the most strategic area and where the organizational aspects of the team will be determined. The four basic departments that must exist within a team are: the administrative department, the marketing department, the sports area and, finally, the communication area.
Possibly, at the beginning of your journey as a new eSports team, you don’t have people, money or time to put together this whole structure. At the very least, you should keep in mind that you will have to do it as events progress, and you will have to take on many of the responsibilities yourself.
The first department of all, the administrative , must be directed by the club director (CEO), the highest authority of the team (or company) and who looks after his interests. He has several responsibilities such as reporting the objectives, management and achievements of the company; make decisions about business strategy; make organizational decisions; and, finally, fulfill leadership functions such as motivating and advising team members.
The marketing department is another of the key elements for the development of the club. Advertising and sponsorships are an important part of income within an eSports company. These professionals are the ones in charge of the relationship with the brands, and try to obtain essential products for the players such as chairs, peripherals or kits through sponsorship.
There is no team if there are no players. The sports area is responsible for managing teams and competitions. Being a team with a small budget at the beginning, you should focus on a specific eSport. This department is made up of the sports director, who manages the teams and their respective managers. These are in charge of managing the budget and meeting the needs of the players.
The teams have their own structure: game coaches, players, physical trainers, analysts, psychologists, dietitians and physiotherapists. These last three are essential for any professional team, since the players are too young and may need a food discipline or psychological help.
Last but not least, the communication department . Here they are in charge of making the club known and increasing its notoriety within the sector. In the same way that soccer or tennis has stars that are admired all over the world, in eSports there are also players idolized by young people. Writers, designers, and social media professionals; All these profiles are in charge of creating content to get more followers and project a good brand image for both the team and each of its members.
5. Assemble your team of players
One of the most difficult things to do when starting your eSports team is to form the human team.
If you don’t have funding, it will be difficult for you to reach professional players . Therefore, it is not bad that you start with a different focus. Thinking small to become great.
At the beginning, the team could be made up of several friends and you. People who already know each other, know how to play together.
Another great way to connect with potential players for your team is through contacts. Ask all the people you can think of, in forums, on social networks … and increase your network of contacts. You never know where you can find your star signing!
Networking and asking your connections is another great way to find potential teammates. You may not know all the players in your area, but you can probably spread the word through your connections. Ask around and see if anyone you know knows a player who wants to join a team. Word of mouth is a great way to recruit for your team!
I also recommend that you start moving into the world of live events in your area, if you don’t already, to meet the most regular players. You can try to talk to people by yourself, or get the message that you are forming a new team, with announcements, posters, etc.
6. Create a website for your eSports team
Even if you don’t know it right now, your website is one of your most valuable assets. A web page is the place of reference for your team. Where fans, players, sponsors, media and everyone who wants to know more about you, will go.
In fact, there are multiple reasons why your team should have its own website and it should be more dynamic and stronger.
Among others, increased visibility for the club and sponsors, the perception of users of greater professionalism. It is also a way to attract new players, and increase income, for example, with an online store.
In the post I just mentioned, I will tell you the three main ways to create a website for a club or a team. But in short, there are 3 options:
- Set up your own website and servers using WordPress.
- Use a web builder without code, type Hostinger.
- Hire a professional to make you a custom website.
Additionally, and very focused on eSports teams, there is Uscreen – The best to create your own content and video streaming platform
7. It’s time to think about the material you will need
At a minimum, your team will need a computer or game console, screen, mouse / controller and / or keyboard.
It is also convenient to think of other equipment that is not so functional, but that provides great value such as gaming chairs, headphones, etc.
You have several options to get hardware for your computer:
- Use the team of the members themselves . It is the cheapest and fastest way to get started, although there will be no standards. Everyone should probably play from home.
- Find a local game center, where you can use a computer connected via a LAN to other computers. This option is somewhat less economical, but it will add a lot of value to your team, and, above all, it will show signs of professionalism
- The third and most expensive possibility is that the team absolutely buys and pays for all components and equipment for the players. We are talking about an investment of thousands of euros, but it will also offer solvency of brand image and gaming, at a technical level. The better the equipment, the better the team will play, obviously, being able to perform at a higher level. For this option, I recommend that you consider looking for sponsorships or collaborators, and thus, cover all or part of the costs.
8. Organize the sports area
Plan training
In eSports, there are three types of training: skills training and team training, physical training and mental training.
Skills training is related to learning and perfecting the fundamentals of the game at individual level , in the game in which they compete.
The group training is based on teamwork. In these trainings, communication and coordination are worked, beyond the technical skills of each one. As you can imagine, it is very important to create a climate of “good vibes” and establish joint goals, since group success will lead to individual success as well.
Keeping the team in shape will make it perform better. On the one hand, it is important to be in physical shape , in order to have better reflexes, energy, recovery capacity, etc.
On the other hand, working on psychological aspects will allow greater concentration, make better decisions in complicated situations, and cope with the stress of everyday life.
It is important to establish a weekly schedule and goals, just like a soccer team would, where the team members will work on all aspects of training. In order for communication to be more fluid, it is recommended to use specific tools to organize activities on a calendar .
Organize workouts during workouts
Training alone or in small groups can have its advantages. But it is advisable to intersperse these practices with more real experiences, playing against other teams in real time.
9. You have to promote the team
You already have the bases. You have the structure. You have the equipment. You have the planning. Good. It’s time to promote your team so it can attract fans and opportunities to increase income.
Attract the first fans
Finding fans is not an easy task. A strategy has to be worked out and that little by little, the brand image that we have talked about so much, deep down begins to generate engagement in the fans.
It is important that the team begins to compete, to be more and more known and to have a reputation. It goes without saying that if the results are consistent, it will be easier to get fans.
Multiple factors come into play here to multiply our exposure to the “outside world.” Among others, the importance of having a website, as we commented before, and presence in different social networks to gain followers . I would like to place special emphasis on Twitch, as it will not only attract new followers, but you will also be able to monetize your content thanks to the views.
Finally, it is also interesting to have a presence in the offline world. We suggest that team members attend LAN game centers and promote these activities or events. In parallel, you can attend events organized by third parties.
10. Find sponsors
I have commented on it throughout the post, but I think it is an important point, to stop and analyze it in detail.
You should not seek a sponsorship “just because.” You have to be clear the advantages of having a sponsor on your team . When your team starts to compete at a relatively high level and you already have a mass of users and followers, sponsorships are a great way to increase your team’s revenue and exposure.
You can propose sponsorships of different kinds. There are four different ones and each type of sponsorship has its advantages . The types are sponsorship in kind, financial, media or nominative.
10 + 1. Find an agent for the team
Your team is competing, it has more and more recognition, awards, sponsorships, income … Maybe, it is time to consider getting an agent. A good eSports agent can help your team to negotiate contracts with leagues, professional players and companies in the sector.
It’s time to take the step
Now you know how to create an eSports team.
Although starting an eSports team is not a difficult task, you have seen that there are a number of factors to take into account.
Once the team is created, maintaining it and making it grow will require time and dedication. But if you are persistent and stay focused on your goal, success with your eSports team is guaranteed. Good luck with it!
Do you need advice during the process of creating a team? Do you have legal or legal doubts? Do you want help from professionals in the field? If the answer is yes, get in touch with us, and we will help you with it.