GEOGRAPHICAL INFLUENCES ON ESPORTS CONSUMPTION WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON URBAN AND RURAL AUDIENCES

As a dynamically evolving new form of media, esports has attracted considerable interest in recent years. This research aims to investigate the emerging patterns in esports consumption, with a specific emphasis on geographic location and its effect on consumption habits. Using a survey methodology, a dataset comprising 285 respondents interested in esports was analyzed to examine their consumption habits, behaviors, motivations, and attitudes. Special attention was given to preferences for esports events and the effect of geographical location. The results reveal that esports players predominantly come from urbanized areas, whereas club members and fans are more often found in rural regions. In rural areas, the consumption of esports content is driven by social aspects, community engagement, and entertainment value. In contrast, urbanized areas place a greater emphasis on the competitive aspects of esports, reflecting a focus on the professional and high-skill elements of the games. This divergence highlights how geographical location influences both the type of esports engagement and the priorities of the audience. Specifically, it underscores that rural areas are more focused on the social and entertainment aspects of esports, while urbanized areas emphasize the competitive and professional elements. This contrast in priorities suggests that the appeal of esports is shaped by regional differences, affecting how content is consumed and valued.