In the latest episode of The NexGen Show, Jerusa Teo steps into the spotlight to unpack a sector many still misunderstand — esports.
In an industry where parents worry, brands hesitate, and audiences quietly explode into the millions, Jerusa offers a grounded, insider view of how competitive gaming has evolved into a sophisticated marketing and commercial ecosystem.
“I think a lot of people misunderstand e-sports because they think there’s no future in gaming,” he says. “But think of e-sports as the exact thing as sports. You have branding, you have sponsorship, and even production.”
Despite the opportunity, Jerusa admits that the local ecosystem is still maturing. He points to a familiar disconnect: ambition without proportional investment.
“A lot of local brands want to achieve whatever the US or the UK are currently doing for e-sports, but they don’t understand that achieving that takes a lot of capital,” he explains.
Jerusa argues that e-sports, like any community-driven platform, demands long-term commitment — not seasonal experimentation. He highlights the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, a government-backed mega-event launched in 2024.
“It started back in 2024 with over 20 game titles and 1,500 players,” he shares. “This translates to over 500 million viewership and over 3 million on-ground audiences flying into Riyadh.”
Listen to these insights and more in the latest episode of The NexGen Show every Sunday, 7PM on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
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