Careers In Esports

What careers are available in esports?

While this list below isn't comprehensive, this selection includes a lot of jobs that you'll be prepared for when you complete your course

Admin/Referee

Admins, or referees, record the outcome of matches, make sure that players are sticking to the rules, and even hand out penalties if any are broken.

Admins may be required to help set up, test servers, chase sign ups, sort seeds and make sure everything runs according to schedule. This means you might have to work with the teams and make sure they’re all on time.

Esports referee managers can earn up to £30,000 per year.

Broadcast/Production

Every good esports event will have a team of backstage whizzes pulling the strings.

Whether it's loading up graphics, queueing up transitions or managing equipment. It can only be live...ONCE!

An entry level crew role can net you around £23,000 per year.

Caster/host

Commentators and hosts are a key part of esports – they can really bring matches and events to life.

Between matches, there can be a lot of downtime and it's your job to provide entertainment, insight and excitement during this.

During the matches, expect to call out the incredible plays and hear the crowd roar.

An experienced caster can earn up to £28,000 per year.

Coach/Analyst

Like traditional sports, a coach will help the team train against other teams (aka ‘scrim’) in order to improve.

Coaches work closely with the players, to motivate them, identify their strengths and weaknesses and make sure they are playing at their best.

A good coach can earn around £1000 to £2000 per month, not including freelancing.

Community Manager

This is someone who can look after a community of a particular game, esport, tournament provider or other area of gaming.

They might have to engage with and respond to the community on social media, for example on Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat, plus platforms including YouTube, Reddit, blogs, websites, Twitch and forums to name a few.

One of the best paying jobs in esports, community managers can bag up to £40,000 per year.

Event Manager

Event managers are responsible for ensuring a particular tournament or esports event is delivered as expected.

That might mean it generates certain viewer numbers, ticket sales and a positive reception from fans and the press, or if there are particular difficulties that arise, just making sure the event goes ahead.

The highest average paying job in esports when done correctly, some esports event managers earn up to a whopping £80,000 a year!

JournalisM/Content

A journalist is someone who gathers and analyses information to create content that’s in the public interest.

A content creator is similar to a journalist but may be less news-focused or objective, and more entertainment-focused.

For example, a brand or sponsor might want to produce a series of videos around esports with a humorous style.

Senior editors earn up to £40,000 per year.

Observer

An observer is someone who controls the in-game camera for esports broadcasts.

They will need to identify key plays, make sure the camera is highlighting the most interesting aspects of the match, and highlight replays for highlight reels.

While not the most lucrative role, an observer can freelance alongside other jobs such as broadcast.

Expect around £150-£250 per day.

PR/Marketing

Public relations is all about managing the flow of information from a specific organisation to the public.

Marketing is similar to public relations, but marketers will usually have a budget that can be used on advertising.

The overall aim is to promote a business and increase sales of its products and services.

The average salary for PR and marketing is around £35,000 a year but some experienced executives can be on as high as £100,000 per year. Blimey!

Pro Gamer

Pro gamers are usually signed to a particular team and will compete in different tournaments for prize money.

As esports has evolved, so have the duties of the players. They are now influencers as well as professional athletes – esports is the intersection between sports and entertainment and many eyes are on the pro gamers as they are the stars of the show.

Being a pro gamer is about putting in the hours, not just in training but streaming and influencing.

Do it right and you're looking at £100,000+ per year!

Team management

An owner will look after all aspects of how an esports company or team operates. This includes hiring staff, deciding which games and tournaments to take part in, the company ethos and direction, branding, marketing and business strategy, paying wages, handling accounts, partnerships and more.

Salary? The sky's the limit. There is absolutely no cap on your earnings. Do this properly, and you could be set for life after a few years.

Social Media executive

A Social Media Executive’s job is to be the front face of any brand. They provide not only entertaining content, but informative pieces to keep the community and following involved – as well as informed of changes and things happening within the company/business.

Expect to earn around £28,000 per year at the executive level, with opportunity for earning increasing as you climb the ladder.