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Microsoft Excel is having a moment as a sport.
Yes. An actual sport.
Back in August 2022, the Financial Modeling World Cup‘s World Excel Championships, broadcast on ESPN, went truly viral and truly global.
How in the world did this happen and how did anyone have the idea to broadcast Excel competitions to the world?
As always at Business Of Sport we want to speak to innovators of burgeoning sports and the World Excel Championships fit the bill perfectly.
We spoke with Max Sych, Chief Operating Officer, Financial Modeling World Cup (FMWC), who is responsible for organizing the competition.
How did Excel become a competitive sport?
Thank competitive Sudoku for kicking off the idea of the World Excel Championships.
As Max details: “One day Andrew Grigolyunovich, FMWC Chairman, came from the Sudoku championship. We were drinking a cup of coffee, and he shared his excitement over the weekend’s sudoku cup. He mentioned that it is such an easy-to-replicate tournament.”
“That year we were waiting for a Financial Modeling contest, but organizers had not announced any dates. Combining the two, at some point, we stopped looking at each other and Andrew said ‘what if we create our own Financial Modeling Contest?'”
“That is how the idea of FMWC was born and later it developed to the Collegiate Challenge, Fin. Modeling and Excel Esports.”
ESPN was a bit of a big bang moment for the FMWC as well. Yet the reaction wasn’t completely unexpected by Max and the organization.
“We did put a lot of effort into production value as we see this shifting the industry, and there are a couple of ‘why’s’.”
“Excel is on TV. Have you ever seen something like that? No.”
“Excel Esports. Building tables and budgets can be exciting? Absolutely, yes!”
“By watching Esports, you can learn new features in Excel, optimize your daily work and advance in your career. Have fun and learn at the same time.”
Yet ESPN was still critical.
“[It had a] huge viral effect, where everyone from the Excel community was talking about it. Even regular people who had never competed in those were excited because they could not believe such a championship existed. As much as it might sound nerdy as it is interesting to watch.”
Yet how big could competitive Excel become?
Well, the number of competitors could be global, as there are over 1.2 billion Microsoft Office downloads and a potential estimate of over 750 million Excel users worldwide.
“Last year we had around 500 players; this year we are aiming to get a few thousand taking part in our events,” according to Max.
“We are expecting this to grow in the future as there will be more people viewing the content. Next, it will get to the national/corporate level where employees within one company will be competing. Already now, we receive requests from various companies to host such competitions for their employees. Finally, we want it to be a weekly show on prime time channels on TV.”
Microsoft Excel competitors turning professional one day
But could Excel players and competitors, gulp, turn professional?
Max is adamant: “Absolutely, yes!”
He references as an example, the so-called “LeBron of Excel”, Diarmuid Early, as one of the most recognizable players in the sport.
“People who use Excel, especially on a daily basis, will find it attractive as this is something they have never seen before and they can learn from just by watching it. Anyone who ever tried to compete in these knows how it might be stressful to do it right LIVE. However, by doing more you get better and one day can become a superstar. Anyone has a chance to win the cup!”
“What I like most, is that contestants are literally training on a daily basis at work by doing client projects! And you even get paid for that. Isn’t that great?”
When you think about it that way, it is hard to argue against it. I might just have to tune into ESPN for the next World Excel Championships.
Get the popcorn ready.
