Esports

WHY ORLANDO

With more than 75 million visitors in 2025, Central Florida is the world's leading vacation destination. It's home to numerous theme parks including Walt Disney World® Resort, Universal Orlando® Resort and SeaWorld® Orlando along with diverse attractions catering to visitors of all ages and interests.

In addition to its enviable year-round climate, Central Florida boasts two international airports, high-quality resorts and hotels, dozens of world-class venues, beautiful beaches, stunning golf courses, exceptional shopping, delectable dining and exciting nightlife.

Over the last few years, the media, entertainment and gaming industry has seen considerable changes. Post-pandemic, with hybrid and remote working now the norm for many, consumers are spending more time at home, which has influenced their media, entertainment and gaming consumption.

Gaming boomed during the pandemic, giving people a way to be both entertained and connected and continues to have a strong foothold in the media mix in terms of weekly reach. YouGov's most recent data shows that interest in esports continues to be particularly strong among younger audiences, with 33% of 18- to 29-year-olds globally expressing an interest in esports in Q1 2024, which is +27% since Q1 2021.

Regular esports viewership among this age group has also remained steady at 10–12% since 2021, demonstrating the continued appeal of competitive gaming among younger audiences.

The esports community continues to grow, and according to NewZoo's 2025 report, the global games market closed 2025 at $201.6 billion, representing +9.1% year-over-year growth and crossing the $200 billion threshold for the first time. The number of players worldwide reached 3.58 billion in 2025, a +4.4% year-over-year growth, accounting for more than 60% of the global online population.

For more information on how to host your event in Greater Orlando, please contact Brent Nelson, Executive VP of Business Development & Sports Tourism at bnelson@greaterorlandosports.com .

ORLANDO IS POSITIONING ITSELF TO BE THE ESPORTS & GAMING DESTINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.