How does LoL Esports make money

League of Legends, as an esports discipline, has evolved from basements and 480p streams to selling out massive stadiums and achieving chart-topping viewership. This couldn’t have been possible without Riot Games supporting and subsidizing the scene before it even attracted any kind of sponsorship or sold a single piece of merch.

While Riot funds the ecosystem from the League of Legends revenue built on in-game purchases and digital content, the esport also earns money through global and regional sponsorships, media deals, tickets, subscriptions, merchandise, and branding.