The chief executive officer of Logitech has predicted that esports will become the biggest sport in the world.

e

Bracken Darrell, the head of the Swiss peripheral manufacturer, made his forecast during an interview on US TV channel CNBC. He also said that its Olympic inclusion is “inevitable”.

He said: “In 1965, 1968, 1969, I remember the NFL and the Super Bowl, how big it seemed then. Looking back on that, it was tiny. I think that’s exactly where we are now in gaming.”

Darrell revealed that his firm has already been in discussion with the International Olympic Committee about how and when esports could make its bow in the global sporting event.

“I think it’s inevitable. I think it will be part of the Olympics,” Darrell claimed in the interview. “I’ll make another prediction - I think it’ll be the biggest sport in the world.”

Others have also blown the epsorts bugle recently with Colin Sebastian, an analyst of financial services firm Baird, estimating that gaming will become the largest sector of media and entertainment by 2020 with annual sales of US$145bn.

Analysts have also predicted that the global monthly audience for esports will reach 167m this year and 276m by 2022.