SAP and HOK Release Report on Designing the Esports Venue of the Future

The esports industry is growing faster than any other entertainment sector, with forecasted growth of 35 per cent per year over the next five years.

More than 450 million people will view an esports event in 2019, making it one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global sports and entertainment industry. Developing the Esports Arenas of the Future explores the factors driving this explosive growth, its unique audience and how the esports venue of tomorrow will look.

Key design features highlighted in the report include:

• A nontraditional seating bowl
• An immersive environment
• Reimagined geometries and spatial organization
• More intimacy
• A blending of technology with the built environment
• Hospitality-driven experiences

The esports industry is growing faster than any other entertainment sector, with forecasted growth of 35 per cent per year over the next five years.

“We see endless opportunities for SAP’s technology solutions to influence and impact the experience for the whole value chain, from publishers to organizers to arenas,” said Winer, Business Development, Retail and Consumer Industries. “We are in an era of intelligent enterprises and corporations need to transform data into insights, providing optimal experiences for internal and external stakeholders. These proposed solutions for the future of the esports venues showcase the beginning of how advanced technology, paired with creative built environment solutions, can inspire innovation and digital transformation.”

“Purpose-built venues have historically had a significant impact in establishing a sport in a culture and community,” said Nuno Guerreiro, an architect with HOK’s Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice and a coauthor of the report. “Because of the length of these events and technological requirements, esports has a unique audience seeking more connected, hands-on experiences. Architects and designers have an opportunity to rethink every aspect of the traditional sports and entertainment environment—from a building’s location and form down to the seat.”

Guerreiro collaborated on the report with Carlos de la Barrera, a senior design professional at HOK, and Federico Winer, Business Development, Retail and Consumer Industries.

Download here the PDF (2.8 MB) of “Developing the Esports Arenas of the Future”