According to Maksym Krippa, the esports industry in Ukraine is not just experiencing a growth phase — it is entering a new stage of development. As the owner of NAVI and president of the Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF), he has watched this field gradually transform from a niche hobby into a significant cultural and economic phenomenon.
Maksym Krippa, owner of NAVI and president of UESF
In an interview with Forbes Ukraine (BrandVoice project), Krippa noted that audience interest in esports is steadily growing, but even more impressive changes are taking place in the financial dimension. While in 2022 the esports market in Ukraine was estimated at tens of millions of dollars, today it is showing steady growth, opening up new opportunities for players, investors, and the state itself.
According to him, our country has a real chance to become an influential player in the global esports ecosystem. And this is not only a question of investment, but also of the ability to think strategically and act proactively.
Ukrainian esports: how the big game began
Ukrainian esports dates back to the 1990s, when computer clubs became hubs for the first gamers. A community formed in these spaces, amateur tournaments were held, and future professionals such as Andriy Horodenskyi, Yevhen Zolotariov, Oleksii Kucherov, and Amiran Rekhviashvili took their first steps.
In the early 2000s, Ukraine began to integrate into the global esports scene. One of the key moments was the participation of the A-Gaming team in the World Cyber Games 2009, where the Ukrainians took third place, making a name for themselves on the international stage.
The advent of stable internet opened up new opportunities: online tournaments replaced local competitions, and the first organizers appeared. In 2009, NAVI was founded, and the following year, the all-Ukrainian GameXP tournament took place. Since then, Ukraine has gradually become a powerful player in the world of eSports.
In addition to NAVI, other teams are actively developing in the Ukrainian eSports ecosystem, including B8, Monte, Passion UA, and others. At the same time, NAVI remains the undisputed leader of the Ukrainian scene — a brand with a global name that has won world titles and set standards of professionalism in the industry.
The modern model of the esports market: how it all works
As Maksym Krippa notes, modern esports is a complex system with clearly defined roles. The key positions are occupied by publishers who create games and control the rights to them, tournament operators, esports clubs, and broadcasters responsible for broadcasting. Each project has its own ecosystem and rules of the game.
For example, Riot Games independently manages tournaments for its games, while Valve opens up opportunities for third-party organizers such as ESL or BLAST. This approach gives clubs more flexibility in participating and finding partners.
Broadcasting is a separate link. Companies purchase broadcasting rights and, in some cases, such as Maincast, obtain exclusive rights. At the same time, some publishers allow streamers to show matches without licenses.
Krippa also emphasizes that a team is not always an organization. Teams can exist separately or be part of multi-gaming structures, and they can qualify for tournaments through qualifiers or direct invitations.
Budgets, sponsors, and profits: how the financial side of esports works
In the early years of professional esports, the financial model of clubs was almost entirely based on sponsorship. Some organizations received up to 99% of their income from partners, while prize money played a secondary role. This dependence made the system vulnerable: a contract termination could jeopardize players’ salaries and basic expenses.
Now the situation has changed. Mature clubs now have a more balanced revenue structure. As Maksym Krippa explains, at NAVI, revenue is distributed roughly as follows: 30% comes from sponsorship contracts, another 30% from partnerships, 20% from sales of digital items and royalties, 15% from prize money, and the rest from merchandise.
For players, the main income is their salary from the club, a percentage of tournament winnings, profits from in-game content and, with the organization’s permission, their own deals with brands. The club usually receives a share of these commercial activities.
The current NAVI lineup for CS2 after winning the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 / Photo: open sources
Also in February, it became known that Maksym Krippa became the new president of the Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF). In his first statement in this position, he outlined the main priorities for the development of the industry.
According to Krippa, the Federation should not become a closed structure with formal functions. On the contrary, its task is to become an open and understandable platform for interaction between players, state institutions, and the eSports community. One of the key areas is the creation of a clear and transparent system of national championships without unnecessary bureaucracy.
