With roots in South Korea, ESports have seen a recent explosion in both the US and across the globe. For the skeptics out there, here are a few facts.

Audience Growth: Over 36 million people watched last year’s League of Legends Championship. By comparison, the 2016 NBA Finals had 31 million viewers. Live events have hosted 10,000 plus fans at arenas across the country, and dedicated Esports arenas are popping up in major cities.

Over 36 million people watched last year’s League of Legends Championship. By comparison, the 2016 NBA Finals had 31 million viewers. Live events have hosted 10,000 plus fans at arenas across the country, and dedicated Esports arenas are popping up in major cities. Revenue and Growth. Global Esports revenue is expected to exceed $1.8 billion in 2018. While this pales in comparison to other professional and collegiate sports, it's growth rate far outpaces others.

Global Esports revenue is expected to exceed $1.8 billion in 2018. While this pales in comparison to other professional and collegiate sports, it's growth rate far outpaces others. Improving Talent: There are hundreds of professional Esports teams, representing all six continents. Universities across the US have started varsity gaming teams, including scholarship programs.

There are hundreds of professional Esports teams, representing all six continents. Universities across the US have started varsity gaming teams, including scholarship programs. Investment growth . Investment is pouring into Esports. Many players and owners of major sports teams in the US now own Esports teams. In 2015, sports and entertainment powerhouse IMG/WME purchased Global Esports Management, a leading Esports talent agency, then partnered with Turner to launch the Eleague. Esports is even being considered for the Olympics.

. Investment is pouring into Esports. Many players and owners of major sports teams in the US now own Esports teams. In 2015, sports and entertainment powerhouse IMG/WME purchased Global Esports Management, a leading Esports talent agency, then partnered with Turner to launch the Eleague. Esports is even being considered for the Olympics. Broadcast growth: The biggest streaming player is Twitch, which Amazon acquired in 2014. YouTube was a fast follower. Both Turner and ESPN2 recently began broadcasting Esports events.

The biggest streaming player is Twitch, which Amazon acquired in 2014. YouTube was a fast follower. Both Turner and ESPN2 recently began broadcasting Esports events. Brand Participation Growth: Over 50 brands invested in the e-sports space in the last year. This goes beyond brands endemic to the category such as gaming, media and technologies companies to categories such as fast food, snacks, beverages, automotive and more.

Just about every brand trying to reach the coveted Millennial male audience is eyeing the marketing opportunities around Esports. As you ponder the opportunity for your brand, think about:

Esports are the 21st Century equivalent of the The Wild West: New events, teams, and leagues are popping up everywhere. This is a double edged sword for brands entering the space. The upside is that the space is relatively uncluttered, and is open to creative requests from brands. The downside is that new players appear suddenly, and there is not the infrastructure to support brand involvement that you see in more traditional platforms.

Major Players Are Consolidating. In addition to the many start-ups, M&A activity continues among the established players. Many teams have been acquired in the last year, and many other entities are acquisition targets in 2017. The upside is that consolidation could mean greater scale for brand participation. The downside for brands may be unintended involvement with an acquiring entity.

It's Cross Border. Most events are international, which is great for global brands. But for brands with a distinctive geography, it can be challenging to carve out territory to minimize waste. Arby's, which is largely concentrated in North America, got involved in Eleague in 2016 across digital platforms, but was able to target CS:GO relevant advertising in the U.S. via TBS.

Esports fans are finicky. Like most Millennials, Esports fans are skeptical of brand participation in E-sports. They are not fans of traditional ads, and prefer brand participation that adds to the gaming experience. The downside is that inexperienced brands can seem out of touch with the space. Buffalo Wild Wings hosted watch parties at restaurants, but some restaurant initially refused to participate....creating a poor fan experience. Given the unique culture of Esports, brands should partner with established players to ensure their involvement is contextually relevant.

Esports present a great opportunity for brand marketers to get in on the ground floor of a hot marketing platform. However, the dynamic landscape and unique culture create a few minefields to be navigated to ensure success. There will be some spectacular sponsorship failures that we can all learn from. But hopefully, they will be far outnumbered by the sponsorship successes.