How to create an esports team?
For a long time, you've sat in the stands and watched the best esports teams in the world compete. You've imagined bringing home the championship trophy in the spotlight.
You don't just want to be a professional player on an esports team. In fact, you have bigger goals in mind. You want to create your own esports team, with some of the best players of your choice.
Do you feel identified? You should. You're not the only one.
Starting your own esports team is an idea many of us think about. But the problem is that you don't even know where to start. It seems like a monumental task and an unattainable goal. But it isn't.
Where can you play?
It is very important that you choose a specific location, a local area where your team will "play." Of course, you can play from anywhere, but there are many competitions that have rules based on location, so this will be crucial for you.
I recommend starting small and aiming higher. Follow the local and regional competitions and plan your strategy to attack the national championships in the medium term.
Even though this is an online activity, it's good to think of it as a team meeting in one place. A physical location where several players from the area practice and compete at the same time may be the best way to start an esports team.
You can also acquire fans and followers in your catchment area. Surely a Madrilenian would rather support a local team than a team from San Francisco, right?
What game should I play?
When starting an esports team, you should not try to build a complex structure with multiple teams and multiple games.
If you have a lot of teams, you will have less time to manage each team, which will lead to a decrease in 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 well. You don't have to know the game functionally, but you do need to know the rules and how it works.
Create your own esports brand
Branding is one of the first areas to work on. A positive brand image increases the value of your team and helps attract more people. Your name, colors, images, logo and style will be the visible face of your team. This way, people will recognize you.
You also need to define the values that will set you apart from other teams and attract more fans or specific players who will identify with you.
Be unique and creative in this process. This is probably not your strong suit. In this case, you need to seek advice or find a professional to handle the team's image. Remember that this is a very important point that many teams neglect at the beginning.
Clearly, there are many elements to a brand. But one small detail that can make a difference is a custom logo design. With My Brand New Logo, you have at your disposal a smart logo designer specializing in extreme sports. See here.
Create the organizational structure of the team
You also need to focus on the structure of the club. This is the most strategic area where the organizational aspects of the team are established. The four basic departments of a team are: Administration, Marketing, Sports and Communication.
You may not have the people, money or time to put this structure in place at the beginning of your journey as a new esports team. At the very least, you need to know that you will have to do this over time and that you will have to take on many tasks yourself.
The first department of all, the administrative department, should be headed by the CEO, the highest authority in the team (or company) and the one who looks out for the company's interests. He or she has various responsibilities, such as reporting on the company's objectives, management and results, making decisions on the company's strategy, organizational decisions and finally leadership tasks, such as motivating and advising team members.
The marketing department is another key component of club development. Advertising and sponsorship represent a significant portion of an esports club's revenue. These professionals are responsible for brand relations and try to obtain important products for the players, such as chairs, peripherals or equipment, through sponsorship.
There is no team without players. The Athletic Department is responsible for managing teams and competitions. As a team with a small budget to start with, you must focus on a specific sport. This department consists of the athletic director, who manages the teams and their respective managers. They manage the budget and take care of the players' needs.
Teams have their own structure: player coaches, athletic trainers, analysts, psychologists, nutritionists and physiotherapists. The last three are essential for any professional team, as the players are still too young and may need dietary discipline or psychological help.
And finally, the communication department. They are in charge of publicizing the club and increasing its visibility in the sector. Just as there are soccer and tennis stars who are admired around the world, there are esports players who are idolized by young people. Writers, designers and social media professionals are involved in the creation of content to increase the number of followers and project a good brand image of the team and each of its members.
There are many aspects to consider when structurally installing equipment. If you need help during the process, find out how we can help.
Build your team of players
One of the most difficult things about starting an esports team is building the team.
If you don't have the funds, it will be difficult to turn to professional players. Therefore, it can't hurt to start with a different focus. Think small to grow.
In the beginning, the team might consist of you and a few friends. People who already know each other know how to play together.
Contacts are another good way to get in touch with potential players for your team. Ask everyone you can think of, on forums, social media.... and build your network of contacts: you never know where you might sign your star player!
Another good way to find potential teammates is to network and ask people you know. You probably don't know all the players in your area, but you can spread the word through your contacts. Ask around if anyone you know knows players who would like to join a team. Word of mouth is a great way to promote your team!
If you haven't already done so, I also recommend getting involved in live events in your area to get to know most of the regular players. You can try talking to people yourself, or you can spread the word that you are creating a new team through advertisements, posters, etc.
Create a website for your esports team
Even if you don't know it yet, your website is one of your most valuable assets. A website is your team's reference point. It's the place where fans, players, sponsors, media and anyone else who wants to know more about you will find it.
In fact, there are many reasons why your team should have its own website and why you should make it more dynamic and promote it.
Among others, the increased visibility for the club and sponsors, the perception of greater professionalism by the users. It is also a way to attract new players and increase revenues, for example with an online store.
In the post I just mentioned, I illustrate the three main ways to create a website for a club or a team. In a nutshell, there are three ways:
Create your own website and server with WordPress.
Use a no-code website builder, such as Hostinger.
Hire a professional to create a custom website.
There's also Clupik, which is specifically targeted at export teams. There you can create your own website using templates, and you get an application for your team and a management tool included in the price.
Now it is time to think about the equipment needed.
At a minimum, the team will need a computer or gaming console, monitor, mouse/palmtop, and/or keyboard.
Other equipment that is not as functional but valuable, such as gaming chairs, headsets, etc., should also be thought about.
There are several ways to purchase equipment for your team:
Use member equipment. This is the cheapest and fastest way to get started, although there are no standards. It is likely that everyone will have to play from home.
Look for a local game center where you use a computer connected to other computers via a local network. This option is a little less economical, but it will add a lot of value to your team and, most importantly, give an impression of professionalism.
The third and most expensive option requires the team to purchase and pay for all components and equipment for the players. This is an investment of thousands, but it also provides brand and image credibility at the technical level. The better the equipment, the better the team plays and the higher its performance level naturally. For this option, I recommend that you look for sponsors or collaborators who will bear all or part of the costs.
Organize the sports area.
Plan the training sessions.
In e-sports, there are three types of training: skill training and team training, physical training, and mental training.
Skills training is about learning and perfecting the basics of the game at the individual level, in the game you are playing.
Team training is based on teamwork. Beyond the technical skills of each individual, these trainings allow you to work on communication and coordination. As you can imagine, it is very important to create an atmosphere of "good feeling" and set common goals, because the success of the group will lead to the success of the individual.
If the team stays fit, it can function better. On the one hand, it is important to be physically fit in order to have better reflexes, energy, resilience, etc.
On the other hand, working on psychological aspects allows for better concentration, better decision making in difficult situations, and better management of daily stress.
It is important to establish a weekly schedule and goals, like a soccer team, where team members work on all aspects of training. To facilitate communication, you should organize activities in a calendar using specific tools.
It is up to you to move the team forward.
You have the basics. You have the structure. You have the team. You have the planning. It is time to promote your team. It is time to publicize your team to attract fans and get opportunities to increase revenue.
Winning the first fans
Finding fans is not an easy task. You need to develop a strategy and, little by little, assimilate the brand image we have talked about so much and engage fans.
It is important for the team to start measuring itself, to become more and more known, and to have a reputation. It goes without saying that it is easier to gain fans when the results are good.
A number of factors come into play here that increase our exposure to the "outside world." These include the importance of a website, as mentioned above, and presence on various social networks to gain followers. I would like to focus on Twitch, because it not only allows you to gain new followers, but also to monetize your content through views.
Finally, it is also worthwhile to have a presence in the offline world. We suggest that team members go to local network gaming centers and promote these activities or events. At the same time, it is possible to participate in events organized by third parties.
Finding sponsors
I've already talked about it in this post, but I think it's an important point to analyze in detail.
You shouldn't look for a sponsor "just because". You need to be clear about the benefits of having a sponsor on your team. When your team starts competing at a relatively high level and you already have a large number of users and followers, sponsorships are a great way to increase your team's revenue and awareness.
There are different types of sponsorships you can consider. There are four different types of sponsorships, each with its own benefits. There are in-kind sponsorships, financial sponsorships, media sponsorships and nomination sponsorships.
