The Benefits of an Esports Agency

Esports agencies are management or consulting groups that represent a player in the esports world and look after their best interests. The agencies have a wide network of sponsors and teams to put the players in contact with and establish some sort of connection between them.

These connections help them easily negotiate deals since they have people in the field who they know can help them. Agencies might also guide players on how to lead their lives outside of the game they play.

According to Stakrn Agency, agents are paid in percentages of the deals they find and negotiate for the players they represent. The agencies are not entitled to any tournament prizes that the players earn.

© LoL Esports

How does an agency help the player stay focused?

An agency is like a player’s best friend or secretary. They take care of everything on the backend while the players focus on training and playing their game. They find player deals, esports sponsorships and even inspect their contracts to ensure that the player doesn’t get trapped in some terrible, one-sided deal.

Finding a team to represent or sponsor deals can be a taxing pursuit. It often involves sending emails, making phone calls, or scouring the internet for companies looking to sponsor or sign such players. Someone who has no previous experience reading the fine lines on contracts can be trapped in a deal that is only advantageous for the company and not the player in question.

Not only is it difficult, but it can also take focus away from the rigorous training regimen that players undertake. Thinking about whether a deal is good for you while also playing in a tournament can be detrimental to your performance. Agencies relieve all of this stress from the players.

In some instances, agencies also advocate for player rights and fair contracts for everyone in esports, not just those they represent.

How does an agency create value for the player?

On top of reviewing contracts for fairness towards the player, esports agents also play the role of marketers. They advertise the player in a way that helps them get the sponsorships they need. Agencies have to create an enticing image for that player in the same way companies create advertisements for products they try to sell.

If everything goes well, the sponsorships and contracts they negotiate for the players will increase in value over time as the player’s experience and earnings increase accordingly. This value increase, in turn, leads to the agencies making more money from their cut and to better contracts. When an agency and a player have a symbiotic relationship, they both benefit.

© ESL Counter-Strike

That said, agencies don’t exclusively represent players.

Agencies like Evolved also represent content creators like xQc. For people like him, agencies will do the same contract revision they would do with players, but since they don’t play for a team, that part is excluded. Instead, content creators receive advice on how to improve their streams and audience engagement and how they should act when they are live.

Should every player be represented by an esports agency?

Players should not be expected to be a one-man team. Practicing and playing in esports tournaments regularly is an exhausting lifestyle. Having to navigate through contracts and make decisions that have the potential to change your life is an added stressor that can decrease your in-game performance.

Having an agency takes that stress away, and every player should be represented by one. According to Stakrn Agency, “only about 20% of professional esports players currently have agent representation.” While that number might have changed, it is still not 100%. Players are responsible for finding an agency that best fits their needs and agencies are responsible for making sure they are well looked after in their careers. Much like the contracts they signed, a player-agency relationship should not be one-sided to ensure it serves both parties well.