Scandals in Esports: Insights on Brand Equity and Crisis Management

Öz

The purpose of this study is to examine scandals in esports and qualitatively reveal the reflections of such scandals on crisis management and brand equity. The study offers a unique perspective to understand how the digital and interaction-based nature of esports shapes crisis processes. The research is structured with a qualitative approach and a multiple case design is adopted. The data on esports scandals were obtained from the media content of 15 esports scandals that are claimed to be widely featured on the internet according to the keyword “cheating in esports” on Wikipedia. The data on the reflections of the scandals on brand equity and crisis management were obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted with professionals and academics working in the esports industry. A total of 15 participants were reached, including 7 esports professionals and 8 academics, using convenience sampling and criterion sampling methods. The data obtained were analyzed by descriptive and content analysis methods. The analysis revealed that crises have a serious impact on brand credibility, fan loyalty and image, and that crisis management involves multi-layered strategies for governance, communication and reputation repair. Furthermore, the digital nature of esports increases the speed at which crises spread and therefore requires more agile response mechanisms. As a result, it is emphasized that esports organizations should develop proactive and holistic crisis management approaches against crises.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Esports
• Crisis management
• Scandal
• Brand equity
• Qualitative research

Espor Skandalları: Marka Değeri ve Kriz Yönetimine Dair İçgörüler

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, esporda ortaya çıkan skandalları inceleyerek bu tip skandalların kriz yönetimi ve marka değeri üzerindeki yansımalarını nitel açıdan ortaya koyabilmektir. Çalışma, esporun dijital ve etkileşime dayalı doğasının kriz süreçlerini nasıl şekillendirdiğini anlamaya yönelik özgün bir bakış açısı sunmaktadır. Araştırma, nitel bir yaklaşımla yapılandırılmış olup çoklu durum deseni benimsenmiştir. Espor skandalları ile ilgili veriler, Wikipedia'da "cheating in esports" anahtar kelimesine göre internet ortamında yaygın olarak yer aldığı öne sürülen 15 espor skandalının medya içeriğinden elde edilmiştir. Skandalların marka değeri ve kriz yönetimi üzerine yansımaları ile ilgili veriler ise espor endüstrisinde görev yapan profesyoneller ve akademisyenler ile yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelerden elde edilmiştir. Elde edilen veriler betimsel analiz ve içerik analizi yöntemleriyle incelenmiştir. Analiz sonucunda, krizlerin marka güvenilirliği, taraftar sadakati ve imaj üzerinde ciddi etkiler yarattığı ve kriz yönetiminin yönetişim, iletişim ve itibar onarımına yönelik çok katmanlı stratejiler içerdiği ortaya konmuştur. Ayrıca, esporun dijital doğası, krizlerin yayılma hızını artırmakta ve bu nedenle daha çevik müdahale mekanizmalarını zorunlu kılmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, espor organizasyonlarının krizlere karşı proaktif ve bütüncül kriz yönetimi yaklaşımları geliştirmeleri gerektiği vurgulanmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Espor
• Kriz yönetimi
• Skandal
• Marka değeri
• Nitel araştırma

Kaynakça

1. Aaker, D. A. (1996). Measuring brand equity across products and markets. California Management Review, 38(3), 102-120.
2. Abarbanel, B., and Johnson, M. R. (2019). Esports consumer perspectives on match-fixing: Implications for gambling awareness and game integrity. International Gambling Studies, 1(2), 296-311. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2018.1558451
3. Abeza, G., O'Reilly, N., Prior, D., Huyber, T., and Mazanov, J. (2020). The impact of scandal on sport consumption: Do different scandal types have different levels of influence on different consumer segments? European Sport Management Ǫuarterly, 20(2), 130-150. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2019.1586974
4. Aksu, S., Ülker, Ş. G., and Taşkın, C. (2022). Sporda kriz yönetimi ve güncel yaklaşımlar. Uluslararası Bozok Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 3(3), 139-156.
5. Barrett, Z., and Shipway, R. (2024). Crisis communication and resilience in major sporting events: A stakeholder perspective. Event Management, 28(3), 441-459. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599524X17046754077370
6. Cambridge Dictionary (2025). Retreived from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/scandal?q=scandal (Access date: July 1st, 2025).
7. Chatzigeorgiou, C. (2017). Modeling the impact of social media influencers on behavioral intentions of millennials: The case of cosmetics industry. Journal of Business Research, 3(2), 25-29. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1209125
8. Chien, P. M., Kelly, S. J., and Weeks, C. S. (2016). Sport scandal and sponsorship decisions: Team identification matters. Journal of Sport Management, 30(5), 490-505. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2015-0327

9. Coombs, W. T. (2007). Protecting organization reputations during a crisis: The development and application of Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Corporate Reputation Review, 10(3), 163-176. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550049
10. Coombs, W. T. (2015). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding (4th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
11. Creswell, J. W. (2013). Ǫualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
12. Creswell, J. W., and Poth, C. N. (2016). Ǫualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
13. Donnelly, C., Simmons, G., Armstrong, G., and Fearne, A. (2015). Digital loyalty card 'big data' and small business marketing: Formal versus informal or complementary? International Small Business Journal, 33(4), 422-442. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242613502691
14. Grasso, M. C. (2022). Doping in esport. Revue Pro Právo A Technologie - Essays II, 26, 195-237.
15. Guba, E. G., Lincoln, Y. S., and Lynham, S. A. (2000). Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions, and emerging confluences. In: N. K. Denzin and Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (pp. 163-188). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
16. Gupta, D., Sharma, H., and Gupta, M. (2022). Doping as a barrier in universal acceptance of esports. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 23(3), 645-664. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2021-0105
17. Harrison, V. S., and Erlichman, S. (2022). NFL player protests, corporate social responsibility, and diversion in sport crisis. Journal of Sports Media, 17(1), 119-142.
18. Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., and Sarstedt, M. (2014). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
19. Holden, J. T., Rodenberg, R. M., and Kaburakis, A. (2017). Esports corruption: Gambling, doping, and global governance. Maryland Journal of International Law, 32(1), 236-273.
20. Hughes, S., and Shank, M. (2005). Defining scandal in sports: Media and corporate sponsor perspectives. Sport Marketing Ǫuarterly, 14(4), 207-216.
21. Hwang, G. (2017). An examination of crisis response in professional athlete scandals: a sport fan's perspective. International Journal of Crisis Communication, 1(2), 64-71.
22. Johar, G. V., Birk, M. M., and Einwiller, S. A. (2010). How to save your brand in the face of crisis. MIT Sloan Management Review, 51(4), 57-64.
23. Johnson, M. R., and Abarbanel, B. (2022). Ethical judgments of esports spectators regarding cheating in competition. Convergence, 28(6), 1699-1718. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565221089214
24. Jordan, T., and Smith, D. (2013). Crisis communication in sport management: Research aides crisis response selection. Kentucky Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 51(1), 26-34.
25. Kelly, S. J., Weeks, C. S., and Chien, P. M. (2018). There goes my hero again: Sport scandal frequency and social identity driven response. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 26(1), 56-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2017.1359656
26. LaGree, D., Wilbur, D., and Cameron, G. T. (2019). A strategic approach to sports crisis management: Assessing the NFL concussion crisis from marketing and public relations perspectives. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 20(3), 407-429. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2018-0045
27. Lu, J. (2022). Esports enforcement: How criminal sentencing philosophy can stop esports match-fixing. Houston Law Review, 5(4), 945-970.
28. Miles, M. B., and Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
29. Morgan, A., and Wilk, V. (2021). Social media users' crisis response: A lexical exploration of social media content in an international sport crisis. Public Relations Review, 47(4), 102057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102057
30. Örs, Ş. (2023). Spor yönetiminde kriz iletişimi: İmaj Tamir Teorisi ve Durumsal Kriz Iletişim Teorisi. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Vizyoner Dergisi, 14(37), 355-370. https://doi.org/10.21076/vizyoner.1097189
31. Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
32. Ponterotto, J. G. (2005). Qualitative research in counseling psychology: A primer on research paradigms and philosophy of science. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 126-136. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.2.126
33. Pourazad, N., Stocchi, L., and Pare, V. (2020). The power of brand passion in sports apparel brands. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(5), 547-568. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-12-2018-2164
34. Rana, I., and Parsai, A. (2023). Doping in eSports: Need for a techno legal synchrony. The International Sports Law Journal, 23, 212-224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40318-023-00236-7
35. Salvador, A. B., Ikeda, A. A., and Crescitelli, E. (2017). Gestão de crise e seu impacto na imagem de marca. Gestão & Produção, 24(1), 15-24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0104-530X1668-14
36. Salvador, A. B., and Ikeda, A. A. (2018). Brand crisis management: The use of information for prevention, identification and management. Revista Brasileira de Gestão de Negócios, 20(1), 74-91. https://doi.org/10.7819/rbgn.v20i1.3583
37. Sato, S. (2015). Negative information in sport: Minimizing crisis damage. In: K. Kanosue, K. Kogiso, D. Oshimi, M. Harada (Eds.) Sports Management and Sports Humanities. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55324-3_8
38. Sato, S., Ko, Y. J., Chang, Y., and Kay, M. (2019). How does the negative impact of an athlete’s reputational crisis spill over to endorsed and competing brands? The moderating effects of consumer knowledge. Communication & Sport, 7(3), 385-409. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479518783461
39. Schöber, T., and Stadtmann, G. (2022). The dark side of esports: An analysis of cheating, doping C match-fixing activities and their countermeasures. International Journal of Esports, 1(1).
40. Shipway, R., Miles, L., and Gordon, R. (2020). Crisis and disaster management for sport. Routledge. In: Strauss, A., C Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research (Vol. 15). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
41. Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. New York: Guilford Press.
42. Sun, W., Chien, P. M., and Weeks, C. S. (2016). Sport scandal and fan response: The importance of ambi-fans. European Sport Management Ǫuarterly, 16(2), 199-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2021.1912131
43. Taneja, S., Pryor, M. G., and Hayek, M. (2010). Leaping innovation barriers to small business longevity. Journal of Business Strategy, 31(3), 21-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-12-2014-0145
44. TLA Dictionary (2025). Retreived from https://sozluk.gov.tr/ (Access date: July 1st, 2025).
45. Usman, M. E., Otu, T. M., Olumba, M. O., Ohuruogu, B. N., Ngwakwe, P. C., Amuche, O. S., Okechukwu, A. C., and Onuenyim, N. (2022). Crisis management in sports and sports development. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science, 8(6), 95-110. http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v8i6.4445
46. Üçüncüoğlu, M., Özdemir, H., and Çakır, V. O. (2021). Covid-19 Pandemisi sırasında sporda kriz yönetiminin bir parçası olarak espor kullanımı. Gençlik Araştırmaları Dergisi, 9(Special issue), 81-101. https://doi.org/10.52528/genclikarastirmalari.849294
47. Ünlü, S., and Boran, T. G. (2024). The importance of social media in crisis communication practices in sports clubs as a commercial brands: 2023 Super Cup final match, Electronic Cumhuriyet Journal of Communication, 6(1):13-22. https://doi.org/10.54089/ecider.1482821
48. Wagner, U., and Storm, R. K. (2021). Theorizing the form and impact of sport scandals. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 57(6), 821-844. https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902211043999
49. Wikipedia (2025). The free encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheating_in_esports (Access date: March 15th, 2025).
50. Wilson, B., Stavros, C., and Westberg, K. (2010). A sport crisis typology: Establishing a pathway for future research. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 7(1-2), 21-32. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSMM.2010.029709
51. Wohlsen, M. (2012, October 17). Why Nike and Trek finally ditched Lance Armstrong. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2012/10/lance-armstrong/ (Access date: April 20th,2025).
52. World Medical Association. (2013). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA, 310(20), 2191-2194. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.281053
53. Yıldırım, A. (2017). Dijital spor iletişimi bağlamında Türk Milli Takımı’nda yaşanan krizin sosyal medyada yansıması. Yeni Medya Elektronik Dergisi, 1(1), 110-118. https://doi.org/10.17932/IAU.EJNM.m.25480200.2017.1/1.110-118
54. Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
55. Zohn, A., and Bleakley, P. (2023). Match-fixing in esports: A scoping review of skin-betting. Journal of Gambling Issues, 53, 1-21.