It is not uncommon to see parents hire coaches for the kids in sports such as football or baseball. However, it appears that the practice has now spilled over into the realm of eSports, as parents have begun to hire coaches to help their kids in the popular battle royale game Fortnite. Considering a recent tournament was worth $130,000, it's not surprising to see parents investing in their children's hobbies.

Moreover, it is a rather simple process, as coaches can be found on social media or contracting sites such as Gamer Sensei and Bidvine, which states that more than 1,400 Fortnite coaches have been hired since early March. The rate depends on the coach, but the consensus seems to be around $15-20 per hour up to $50 for 3 - 4 hours worth of coaching.

Of course, some parents are hiring coaches for themselves, too, so they can play at a competitive level with their children, such as Twitch's Adrian Luff of San Macros, Texas, who stated, "Not dying in the first two minutes would be nice." Regardless of why a parent hires a coach, Fortnite coaching is seemingly a good way to help kids who are not the best at the popular game, as some kids are reporting solo wins within a week and others are throwing down multiples wins when Victory Royales were elusive before.

Considering popular Fortnite streamer Ninja makes a huge sum of money playing the battle royale game, it makes sense parents would support their children who want to grow up to be professional gamers. Some would even argue that it's not much different from parents helping their children become professional athletes.

As it so happens, a recent study suggests that pro gamers may soon earn more money than professional athletes, as the gaming industry, especially eSports, is the fastest growing entertainment industry in the world. This growth promotes large venues of play, which draws in sponsors, advertisers, and media giants such as Coca-Cola, Red Bull, and Samsung.

Nevertheless, some parents and gamers alike may not like the notion of hiring coaches for a video game. Tell us, Ranters, what is your take?

Fortnite is available now on iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: The Wall Street Journal