Sponsoring esports teams remains this kinda undecipherable-but-with great-opportunities-in-it space for many brands. Many brands and agencies would approach it as supporting traditional sports teams, and they might get good results with that strategy. Still, with esports, the story is a bit different. 


Today, Joe McMahon, Manager of Marketing and Esports at Wavemaker Sports & Live, joins us to share his thoughts on the different (and successful) ways to approach esports teams.


Throughout our conversation, Joe talks about his journey into gaming and esports, his transition from traditional sports to esports, and the differences he noticed between the two industries at first sight. We touch on the importance of networking, how networking influenced Joe’s career, and why it is crucial to make connections without expecting anything in return. We also talk about the importance of brands communicating their expectations clearly, the massive opportunities for regionally-focused teams, and the several elements to consider when approaching an esports team.    


Resources

Visit Wavemaker’s website: https://wavemakerglobal.com/.


Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemcmahoniv/.


Full Episode Breakdown:

1:52 – Joe talks about his role at Wavemaker, how he got into it, and how his career started.


4:27 – Joe describes what really got him into the esports world. 


9:34 – John and Joe talk about how the way we carry ourselves and interact with others in the space impacts our possibilities of creating meaningful connections. 


12:24 – Joe talks about how he developed his network and how it impacted his career.


17:55 – Joe shares advice for young people trying to get into esports. 


22:13 – John and Joe discuss volunteering and working for free in the esports and gaming industry to put a foot in the door.


27:42 – John and Joe talk about how brands could choose to effectively approach the gaming community.


32:15 – Joe talks about the difference between esports teams from the same firm, and the challenges brands must overcome to approach them individually. 


37:36 – Joe describes the many ways to engage with esports audiences, even for non-endemic brands. 


41:41 – John and Joe talk about the massive opportunities in sponsoring regionally-focused esports teams. 


44:29 – Joe talks about some of the most effective strategies Wavemaker used and generated tremendous results. 


49:43 – John and Joe discuss the importance of setting clear expectations for brands.


50:37 – Joe talks about the different approaches esports and gaming brands use to engage with their audiences.