This is a six-week study of how 13-18s in Portugal watch esports and buy merchandise, answered by a survey of ~100–200 teenagers plus 5–10 interviews, with desk research used only to orient it. Everything currently in this hub is desk research pending that survey.
For: Hero Esports · Researcher: Max He Johansen · Duration: 6 weeks Focus pillars: (1) Content · (2) Merchandise
1. Objective
Understand how young people in Portugal engage with esports across two pillars: content (what they watch and where) and merchandise (what they buy and why). The output should give Hero Esports an evidence-based picture of the market and where the opportunities in it are.
2. Target audience
- Core group: ages 13–18, the primary focus of all findings.
- Secondary/comparison group: 18+ (young adults). Sampled occasionally to see how habits shift as fans get older and gain spending power.
- Segment within the core where possible: 13–15 vs. 16–18. A 13-year-old and an 18-year-old behave very differently online and as buyers.
- Market: Portugal (note any Lisbon/Porto vs. rest-of-country differences that emerge).
3. Research questions
Pillar 1: Content
How do young people in Portugal consume esports content?
- Where: which platforms do they use (Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, Kick, Instagram, Discord), and in what form: live streams vs. short clips vs. full VODs vs. news?
- What kind: live matches, highlights, creator/streamer content, watch-alongs and co-streams, news and analysis, memes, behind-the-scenes?
- What format: long-form live vs. short vertical clips; Portuguese-language vs. English content; mobile vs. desktop; passive watching vs. interactive (chat, polls)?
- Who they watch / who engages: international pros, teams, and creators vs. Portuguese creators and teams? Which games drive viewing? Who are the local voices, if any?
Pillar 2: Merchandise
What drives young Portuguese fans to buy esports merchandise?
- Which teams/brands: Portuguese orgs vs. international teams vs. game/creator merch?
- What items: jerseys, apparel, accessories, collectibles, digital items?
- Purchase drivers: team loyalty, favourite creators, design/aesthetics, limited drops, price, peer influence?
- Where they buy: online stores, live events, general retail, resale?
- Willingness to pay: realistic price points, and what they'd pay more for?
- Barriers: what stops them buying (price, availability, shipping, not knowing where to look)?
4. Methodology
A mix of desk research and primary research keeps the six weeks realistic:
- Desk research: existing reports on the Portuguese and European esports/gaming market and youth media habits, plus a map of the local scene (teams, popular games, creators, platforms).
- Survey: the main quantitative source. Aim for a meaningful sample of 13–18s (target ~100–200 responses; adjust to what's reachable), plus a smaller 18+ comparison set. Distributed via schools, Discord communities, local teams/creators, and social channels.
- Interviews: ~5–10 short qualitative conversations with local players, creators, team staff, or engaged fans to add depth and colour the numbers.
Sampling note: recruiting is the slowest part. Start lining up survey channels and interviewees in Week 1; by Week 3 it's too late.
5. Six-week plan
- Week 1: Scope & landscape. Confirm exact questions and audience with Hero. Desk research, and map the Portuguese esports scene (teams, games, creators, platforms). Line up survey distribution channels and potential interviewees.
- Week 2: Instrument design. Build the survey (both pillars) and the interview guides. Set up the survey tool. Sort out consent and data handling for minors (see Considerations).
- Week 3: Fieldwork begins. Launch the survey, start interviews, push distribution hard.
- Week 4: Fieldwork continues. Chase survey responses to hit the target, and finish the interviews.
- Week 5: Analysis. Clean and analyse survey data by pillar and by age band. Pull the key patterns and quotes out of the interviews.
- Week 6: Synthesis & delivery. Write the report or build the deck, form recommendations, present.
6. Deliverable
A clear final output (report and/or slide deck) covering, for each pillar: what the data shows, the standout insights, differences by age band, and specific, actionable recommendations for Hero Esports on the Portuguese youth market. Draft an outline by the end of Week 4, so the fieldwork feeds a structure that already exists.
7. Considerations
- Minors & consent. 13–17s are minors. Surveys and interviews should have parental or guardian consent, be anonymous, and collect no unnecessary personal data. Confirm Hero's preferred approach.
- Data protection (GDPR). Portugal and EU rules apply, with extra protections for minors' data. Keep responses anonymous and store them carefully.
- Language. Run the survey in Portuguese, with an English version if useful. Anything else reaches the core group badly and skews the sample toward English-comfortable respondents.
- Sample honesty. With a modest sample, be clear about the limitations, and present findings as strong indications rather than statistical certainty.
- Keep it decision-useful. Every finding should point toward something Hero could actually do: content to make, where to post it, merch to offer, how to price it.
8. What success looks like
Hero comes away understanding how 13–18s in Portugal consume esports content and engage with merchandise, plus a short list of concrete opportunities. That is the read they would otherwise be guessing at.