{
  "name": "Esports Competitive Gaming",
  "edition_label": "October 2026",
  "edition_updated_at": "2026-10-11",
  "slug": "esports-competitive-gaming",
  "kind": "subcategory",
  "parent_slug": "video-games-esports",
  "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming",
  "scope": "Category research. No publishable AOV benchmark is available.",
  "directory_status": "deferred",
  "page_readiness": "published",
  "directory_notice": null,
  "benchmark": {
    "status": "unavailable_insufficient_cohort",
    "slug": "esports-competitive-gaming",
    "parent_slug": "video-games-esports",
    "cohort_scope": "exact_child",
    "median_aov_usd": null,
    "p25_aov_usd": null,
    "p75_aov_usd": null,
    "metric_window": null,
    "scope_label": "The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate.",
    "methodology": "Median and middle 50% of account-level average order values. Each account value is purchase ROAS multiplied by cost per purchase in USD. Successful classifications, including manual corrections, with positive finite spend, purchases, ROAS and cost per purchase. Accounts are counted once with equal weight. Quartiles use linear interpolation. Root cohorts include direct root classifications and their child categories; exact-child cohorts exclude parent and sibling categories. The source selects the highest-spend coverage row per account among snapshots dated within the preceding 30 days; the underlying reporting period is not supplied. This is a dated aggregate advertising-data snapshot, not business-wide AOV or a census.",
    "read_at": "2026-10-11T14:12:32.450764+00:00",
    "period_label": "No publishable aggregate; underlying reporting period not supplied",
    "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming: no publishable AOV benchmark. The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate. Status reviewed 2026-10-11T14:12:32.450764+00:00. https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#benchmark",
    "source": {
      "name": "Madgicx Research & Labs",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#benchmark"
    }
  },
  "metric_definitions": [],
  "metric_definitions_scope": "Definitions only; no ACV, MRR or ARPU benchmark or measured correlation is supplied.",
  "brands": null,
  "answers": [
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-1",
      "question": "What should an esports-entry campaign qualify before accepting a player signup?",
      "text": "Riot's March 2026 VALORANT Premier support rules require ongoing SMS verification, at least one lifetime ranked placement and an account without current bans or restrictions. Ask about those conditions. A signup alone does not establish eligibility throughout the Premier Stage.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-1",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming. What should an esports-entry campaign qualify before accepting a player signup? Riot's March 2026 VALORANT Premier support rules require ongoing SMS verification, at least one lifetime ranked placement and an account without current bans or restrictions. Ask about those conditions. A signup alone does not establish eligibility throughout the Premier Stage.  Source: https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-1",
      "source_url": "https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-2",
      "question": "Can every eligible Premier player be promised access to a Contender team?",
      "text": "Riot's March 2026 VALORANT Premier rules add Contender Eligibility for Contender or Invite teams. It depends on qualifying participation or rank in the current or previous Stage. Identify the requested tier before advertising team entry; general Premier eligibility does not settle advanced-team access.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-2",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming. Can every eligible Premier player be promised access to a Contender team? Riot's March 2026 VALORANT Premier rules add Contender Eligibility for Contender or Invite teams. It depends on qualifying participation or rank in the current or previous Stage. Identify the requested tier before advertising team entry; general Premier eligibility does not settle advanced-team access.  Source: https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-2",
      "source_url": "https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-3",
      "question": "Can a team-recruitment ad guarantee a mid-Stage roster transfer?",
      "text": "Riot's March 2026 Premier guidance permits one team at a time. After a team's first match, a join is blocked if the player's MMR would change its Division. Qualify the roster and Stage state; leaving a team does not guarantee being admitted elsewhere or readmitted.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-3",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming. Can a team-recruitment ad guarantee a mid-Stage roster transfer? Riot's March 2026 Premier guidance permits one team at a time. After a team's first match, a join is blocked if the player's MMR would change its Division. Qualify the roster and Stage state; leaving a team does not guarantee being admitted elsewhere or readmitted.  Source: https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-3",
      "source_url": "https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-4",
      "question": "Does late tournament registration establish playoff qualification?",
      "text": "Riot's March 2026 VALORANT Premier guidance allows mid-Stage joining but warns that too few remaining match opportunities may prevent sufficient Premier Score for playoffs. Queue dates appear in the client. Describe joining and playoff qualification as separate outcomes, with no guaranteed advancement.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-4",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming. Does late tournament registration establish playoff qualification? Riot's March 2026 VALORANT Premier guidance allows mid-Stage joining but warns that too few remaining match opportunities may prevent sufficient Premier Score for playoffs. Queue dates appear in the client. Describe joining and playoff qualification as separate outcomes, with no guaranteed advancement.  Source: https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-stockgamestelecom1-esports-competitive-gaming-4",
      "source_url": "https://support.riotgames.com/en-us/valorant/gameplay/premier-joining-leaving-teams"
    },
    {
      "group": "Category research",
      "id": "answer-benchmark-status",
      "question": "Is an AOV benchmark available for this category?",
      "text": "No publishable AOV benchmark is available.",
      "context": "The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate. Parent and sibling benchmarks are not substituted.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-benchmark-status",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming. Is an AOV benchmark available for this category? No publishable AOV benchmark is available. The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate. Parent and sibling benchmarks are not substituted. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-benchmark-status",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Use this research",
      "id": "answer-download-research",
      "question": "Can I download this industry research?",
      "text": "The exports section provides this edition in Markdown and JSON, along with a research index. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-download-research",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming. Can I download this industry research? The exports section provides this edition in Markdown and JSON, along with a research index. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.  Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#reuse Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-download-research",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#reuse"
    },
    {
      "group": "Use this research",
      "id": "answer-cite-research",
      "question": "How should I cite a finding from this page?",
      "text": "When reuse is permitted, credit Madgicx Research & Labs and link to the exact source. Keep its snapshot date and scope. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-cite-research",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Esports Competitive Gaming. How should I cite a finding from this page? When reuse is permitted, credit Madgicx Research & Labs and link to the exact source. Keep its snapshot date and scope. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.  Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#reuse Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#answer-cite-research",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/esports-competitive-gaming#reuse"
    }
  ]
}