The problem with self-organizing is you get things like the Smash community, where the worst people imaginable take over the competitive level and then you've got a huge reputational problem on your hands. It's a delicate balance between supporting what the community develops on its own and going top-down and forcing it.
ESports leagues only work when they come from the community. No amount of money will make people care about a random assortment of franchised teams
Reminds me of when Wargaming tried to push a World of Tanks e-sports league.
Turns out, if your players aren't making competitive tournaments for your game on their own, it's probably not suitable for e-sports.
Yep just give the community a good base and let them self organize. Maybe throw in a sponsorship here or there. But don't make that shit yourself.
The problem with self-organizing is you get things like the Smash community, where the worst people imaginable take over the competitive level and then you've got a huge reputational problem on your hands. It's a delicate balance between supporting what the community develops on its own and going top-down and forcing it.