Esports Revolution: Arena Games Triathlon Doubles Reach in 2023

Why it matters: Arena Games Triathlon, a hybrid of real and virtual racing, has seen massive growth in audience reach and ticket demand during its 2023 Series, pushing it toward a potential future Olympic inclusion.

Setting the pace: Arena Games Triathlon, an esports version of Super League Triathlon, combines real-life and virtual racing to create an innovative sports experience. After navigating the challenges of COVID restrictions, the event has thrived, marking its success through a series of 2023 competitions in Montreal, Switzerland, and London.

What they are saying:

• "We have seen a huge rise in the growth of Arena Games Triathlon with athletes, broadcasters, and fans loving its unique format and data-driven storytelling," said Michael D’hulst, CEO of Super League Triathlon.
• "It has always been a dream of mine to be part of creating a new sport, and I am proud of the success that is being shown in the innovative, technology-driven new race format of Arena Games Triathlon," remarked Leonid Boguslavsky, Co-Founder of Super League Triathlon.

By the numbers:

• A 48% increase in live audience on broadcast, rising to 4 million (2022: 2.7 million)
• Unique broadcast reach rose to 25.4 million (2022: 21.7 million)
• Average audience per broadcast grew by 64%
• 25 million video views on digital channels (2022: 13 million)
• 95% of all tickets sold

Between transition: Arena Games Triathlon is set to feature at the Olympic Esports week in Singapore, an endorsement of its potential for inclusion in future Olympic games.

Through Time: Australia’s Sophie Linn and South Africa’s Henri Schoeman were crowned Arena Games Triathlon World Champions in 2023, affirming the credibility of this esports format within the world triathlon community.

The bottom line: Arena Games Triathlon's impressive growth signals not only the rise of innovative sports formats in the post-COVID era but also its potential future in global competitions such as the Olympics.