N.E.O. founder: Esports events cost €200K–€3M, sponsors fund most

Bertrand Amar, founder of French tournament organizer N.E.O., estimates that running an esports competition typically costs €200,000–€300,000 a year and can reach €2 million–€3 million for flagship events. He described sponsorship as the primary source of funding for most tournaments.

Amar outlined the sequence organizers follow to launch an event. First, they secure a licence from game publishers or rights holders. After that, organizers recruit top teams, sign commercial partners, hire commentators and production crews, and assemble broadcast and graphics packages. The final step is finding sponsors and partners to finance the production and operations.

Amar said ticket revenue is limited for many teams because a large share of competitions are held online rather than in arenas. Media-rights income remains relatively small because tournaments are frequently streamed for free on public platforms. He noted, however, that some entertainment and streaming platforms have begun to buy exclusive rights to certain events to attract younger audiences.

The scale of production affects budgets. Smaller recurring competitions commonly fall in the €200,000–€300,000 range. Events that require venue hire, extensive travel, large technical crews and high-end broadcast setups can push costs into the €2 million–€3 million bracket. Rising production and operational expenses are increasing pressure on organizers to secure longer-term revenues.

An executive producer at BLAST has described comparable challenges, pointing to high production costs and complex logistics for major titles such as Dota 2. Those comments align with Amar’s assessment that the industry needs stronger commercial models, including growth in paid media-rights deals, to support large-scale tournaments.

N.E.O. runs several international competitions, including the women’s League of Legends Game Changers: Rising series, the EVA Pro League, and international Rocket League events. The company is in discussions with potential broadcasters about rights to reach younger viewers.

Global Esports Industry Week is scheduled for June 18–21, 2026, in Cologne and will run alongside IEM Cologne. Amar said N.E.O. plans to take part in the broader esports calendar next year. Until media-rights revenue expands, sponsorships and partner agreements will remain the main funding source for most events.