Esports As A New Economic Frontier: A Bibliometric Exploration Of Global Trends And Research Hotspots
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54554/jtmt.2025.13.03.015Abstract
This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research on esports and business, aiming
to identify publication trends, influential authors, collaboration networks, and emerging thematic areas. Data
were retrieved from the Scopus database covering the period 2007–2025, using the query terms “esport”,
“competitive gaming”, “management”, “marketing”, “business model”, and “sponsorship”. A total of 111
documents were analyzed using VOSviewer and Publish or Perish to map co-authorship, co-citation, keyword
co-occurrence, and citation metrics. Results indicate a significant increase in publication activity beginning in
2020, with notable growth during 2023–2025. The most productive countries were the United States, Brazil,
and Spain, while leading institutions included Universidade da Madeira and Temple University. Prominent
authors such as Contreras-Espinosa and Scholz contributed to defining the intellectual structure of the field.
The dominant research themes revolve around marketing strategies, sponsorship models, consumer behavior,
and esports management. The dataset accumulated 1,533 citations, yielding an h-index of 15 and a g-index of
38, indicating growing scholarly impact. Overall, the findings highlight esports as an emerging economic and
cultural phenomenon that bridges digital innovation with global business practices. The study concludes by
suggesting future research directions focusing on sustainability, governance, and entrepreneurial innovation
within the esports ecosystem.
Keywords: Esports, Business; Bibliometric Analysis; Marketing; Sponsorship; Digital Economy; Global
Trends
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