Abel Tesfaye, otherwise known as the rapper “The Weeknd,” has reportedly invested in OverActive Media, parent company of the Toronto Defiant and Team Splyce. The Weeknd has entered the esports realm with an investment in OverActive Media, the ownership team behind the Toronto Defiant and Team Splyce. The partnership will see Tesfaye operate as a […]
Gamestop announced a partnership this week with Infinite Esports (owners of OpTic Gaming and the Houston Outlaws), CompLexity, and Envy Gaming (owners of Team Envy and the Dallas Fuel). The sponsorship includes a series of gaming classes and clinics for gamers at Gamestop locations over the next year. GameStop announced a major partnership today with […]
With the rise of esports came the rise of the gaming house. Esports has seen a meteoric rise in the number of teams living and practicing their craft together. That said, there is a new type of facility on the rise that allows teams to work and practice in an office-like environment. The gaming house trend […]
Nissan has announced a partnership deal with OpTic Gaming and FaZe Clan. They join several other high-profile companies to enter the esports space in the past six three months. Another car manufacturer has entered the esports space. Following BMW and Honda, Nissan is now a sponsor of both OpTic Gaming and FaZe Clan, according to […]
One month ago during a fourth-quarter earnings call, Activision confirmed that a city-based franchising model would come to Call of Duty Esports next year. New information has now surfaced on just how much the franchise buy-in will cost organizations. Sources told ESPN staff writer Jacob Wolf that Activision Blizzard has begun shopping next year’s Call […]
The CVR World Cup League features competitive virtual cycling where competitors race against each other in a game called CVRcade. While CVRcade is an online multiplayer game, it also lets players do physical training at the same time. Discussions about esports and traditional sports exist in terms of how each industry differentiates from one another, however, […]
Cloud9 announced its latest high-profile sponsorship with BMW, the famous German automaker. BMW joins sponsors such as Puma and AT&T as the next prominent sponsor to join the Cloud9 ranks. Cloud9 announced a partnership with BMW yesterday. BMW joins the Cloud9 sponsorship family as the official car of Cloud9. Yesterday, the official Cloud9 Twitter account announced the […]
Esports is becoming a gold mine for companies looking to expand into new spaces, according to a report released by the Video Advertising Bureau. According to the report, 23% of esports fans have just started following the scene sometime between 2017 and 2018. Despite this late push, esports is boasting as much revenue as the […]
North American esports Organization announced a sponsorship deal with telecommunications giant AT&T yesterday. Sometime this year, AT&T will sponsor a weekly show called “The Nines,” providing fans with a look inside the Cloud9 organization. It will include highlights, team and player profiles, tournament previews and esports news. Additionally, the partnership will include AT&T social media […]
Riot Games has taken a major step towards improving its internal diversity circumstances. The company is bringing in Angela Roseboro to spearhead those efforts. Roseboro is the former Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Dropbox, the world’s premier cloud storage provider. The Diversity Controversy Riot has been at the center of a diversity […]
On Friday, the Golden Guardians announced that they were partnering up with Madrinas Coffee. They announced this on their Twitter, along with a short video featuring Kevin “Hauntzer” Yarnell starting an exciting match of LoL. This partnership is the first esports team the company has partnered with. The Madrinas Coffee logo will be present on the […]
Esports is a booming business according to surges in funding for top esports teams in the past ten months. G2 Esports, Cloud9, and Team Liquid have all posted record fundraising numbers since the beginning of 2018. Additionally, the amount of funding deals in esports has more than quadrupled since 2015 according to Crunchbase. The new-fangled […]
Continuing on with its sponsorship extensions, ESL has announced that it has extended its non-exclusive broadcasting rights with Facebook. This opens the way for Pro League to return to Twitch. Facebook will stream ESL competitions in English through December 19th, 2019 in 1080p at 60FPS. They will also broadcast ESL Pro League in English and Portuguese. […]
ESL and paysafe card have extended their partnership through the end of 2019. The partnership offers top billing for paysafe throughout the ESL ecosystem, including CS:GO and PUBG. Paysafe card is an online payment method, primarily in Europe, and offers online prepaid cards. Paysafe works at a variety of online outlets across the world, including gaming, online dating, and […]
Even though video gaming competitions are not a new thing, we can say that eSports took their current form pretty recently. As video games started becoming more complex and more sophisticated in the 21st century, competitions began attracting more attraction. Today, eSports is slowly becoming a spectator sport because 40% of viewers do not play […]
Secretlab is now the third international sponsor of League of Legends esports, joining two other international sponsors in Alienware and Mastercard. They will provide all seating for League events and tournaments, replacing Maxnomic, a rival gaming chair company, as the official seat of League of Legends. Additionally, Secretlab will be the first racing-chair provider to […]
Video Game revenue is up 18% from 2017, totaling $43.8 billion. According to the Entertainment Software Association and The NPD Group, this figure is high enough to pass the total recorded revenues from the film industry in 2018. VIDEO GAMES TAKE THE TOP SPOT According to Deadline Hollywood, the film industry had a record year […]
Envy Gaming has released details of its partnership with CORSAIR, who will provide peripherals to both Team Envy and the Dallas Fuel. In addition to the partnership, all Team Envy teams will be involved in “product testing, evaluations, and review of CORSAIR products,” according to the Team Envy press release. In addition to announcing the […]
HyperX is now the official peripheral provider for Complexity Gaming, who will use HyperX products exclusively. Per the press release, this is a two-year deal. From the press release: “HyperX is extremely pleased to become a partner with the competitive Complexity gaming team,” said Daniel Kelley, Director of HyperX. “Complexity Gaming is one of the […]
Jersey Mike’s and Team Liquid have announced a sponsorship for the 2019 Season, continuing Jersey Mike’s marketing strategy of targeting League of Legends players and fans. Jersey Mike’s first foray into team sponsorships comes a season after they sponsored the NA LCS Summer Split (rebranded to “LCS” in December), offering prizes, in-game items, and Hextech […]
While the titans of PC gaming at Bellevue have already managed to pull off multiple iterations of the F2P model without sacrificing the gameplay experience and esport potential of their titles, a critical look at the broader landscape might prompt you to look at CS:GO’s similar shift in a different light: there’s a pretty good […]
It’s no secret that it’s been a challenge to find profits in the world of esport nowadays, and it seems like mainstream interest, and a growing revenue pressure could very well collide in 2019. CS:GO’s third-party tournament circuit continues to produce eye-popping endeavors and sponsorship deals while many whisper about a potentially more extensive market […]
Esports, just like any other rapidly growing business, relies heavily on the individuals and companies that are willing to invest money in them. Current projections show the entire esports field to be worth more than $1 billion by 2020, but this does not mean that teams and organizations are currently generating that amount of profit. […]
According to a new report from Nielsen, less than 40% of Twitch’s esports audience watch television during a typical week. Additionally, only half of the esports audience are said to own a paid TV subscription service. 70% of Twitch’s esports fans spend more time watching esports than traditional sports. Nielsen focused their study on Twitch […]
Sad news today for esports fans, players and investors. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stated that adding esports to the 2024 Paris Olympics is still “premature.” However, there is some potentially good news. Firstly, Tony Estanguet, Co-President of the Paris Olympic Committee, is advocating for esports to be included in the Olympics. Secondly, the […]
What Is Boosting? Firstly, what is ‘Boosting’? Boosting is when a gamer logs into another gamer’s account to play a ranked game to increase their ranking. Boosting has become a serious issue throughout major esports such as Overwatch, LoL, Dota 2 and CS:GO. The South Korean ‘Act on the Punishment of Alternative Game Act’ The […]
Any team is only as good as the complete sum of all of its parts. The same goes for esports as much as any other collective competitive venture. Creating the ultimate rank in any such domain is exceedingly tricky, mainly because it is a process of measuring something that is continually evolving. Sure, esports have […]
Today a report from Kids Insight showed some promising information for esports overall growth. Their report stated that 15% of UK girls aged 13-15 now watch esports. Additionally, they added that more 13-15-year-old girls watch esports and take part in esports than boys aged 13-15. Lastly, they stated that 84% of female teens spend time […]
The November 26th Reader Survey, Teams and Leagues on Sports Business Daily had some interesting results. The readers voted Overwatch League (OWL) as the third hottest sports property of 2018. The NBA and NFL lead the list respectively. Some notable leagues that the OWL surpassed include the MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA and UFC. The OWL […]
There is no denying that accessing esports either as a viewer or as a potential competitor is exceedingly easy. With nothing more than a computer/smartphone and an internet connection, anyone can join the community of a particular game. For many esports, there is not even the initial barrier of having to buy the actual game. […]
OverActive Media, the owners of the Toronto Defiant, have purchased Splyce, the professional esports organization. OverActive Media is now the fourth company to own both a professional League of Legends and Overwatch franchise. Cloud9, Optic Gaming and Misfits are the other esports organizations to own teams in both popular esports. On Tuesday it was announced that […]
Goodbye EU LCS, hello LEC. After six years of the old name, a rebrand is bound to feel strange – and strange it does. After what was seen as the EU LCS’ most successful year since 2015 – having two teams in the Worlds semi-finals – was further accentuated by having an EU team actually […]
Esports work as a domain because they have the intrinsic ability to attract people. They do this on both sides of the equation – they are able to appeal to players who gradually become so good at one or more game that this allows them to turn pro. On the other side are the viewers […]
The 2018 Esports Awards have just concluded. Here is a complete list of the winners: Unsung Hero of the Year Milos Nedeljkovic | FACEIT Videographer of the Year Davis “Hitch” Edwards | OpTic Gaming Streaming Platform of the Year Twitch Breakthrough Game of the Year Fortnite Console Rookie of the Year Kenny “Kenny” Williams | […]
According to GitHyp.com, this past weekends LoL Worlds 2018 added 50k viewers (+5%) when compared to 2017. The 2018 Worlds also set a new peak of 1.14 million concurrent viewers on Twitch. They also add that there was a decline from Worlds 2015 to 2016 of 6%, so this increase is a much welcomed sign for the […]
Riot games has recently announced the location of their World Championships for the next three years. This is a step in a new direction for the company, as in the past the decision seems to have been made last minute to the dismay of the fans wishing to attend. But with this move towards a […]
NFL fans who play Fortnite will be able to dress their favorite characters in NFL jerseys. The jerseys will be available November 9 at 7PM EST. Fortnite players can purchase any of the 32 NFL teams jerseys and choose a number from 1-99. These can be bought in the Battle Royale store using virtual bucks. The […]
Toronto is about to get a 13,000-square-foot esports lounge. Waves Egaming is set to open as soon as next week after years of planning. The location will be at 2160 Steeles Ave W, Toronto. The new esports lounge will allow Canadians to have a professional venue to host Twitch streams, compete in local tournaments, and […]
NBA legend Michael Jordan and rap superstar Drake are the newest names to invest in the world of esports. Michael Jordan invested in aXiomatic, a large esports ownership group who are the owners of Team Liquid. Drake along with Scooter Braun and Dan Gilbert invested $25 million in the esports company 100 Thieves. They join celebrity investors […]
Thinking about esports as a term for organized competitions was almost unheard of 20 years ago, even in video game crazed countries like South Korea. Back in 1998, StarCraft was published, while other franchises that had a strong competitive side, like Quake, were still mainly played during LAN parties. Two more years would need to […]
It all starts with a… win at the EU Masters. Caffeine and video game enthusiasts rejoice – an industry giant, Nestlé’s premier coffee brand Nescafé took the leap into the Spanish esports scene earlier this week, with a previously unheard-of sponsorship supporting legendary Madrid-based organisation MAD Lions E.C. A first for not only the esports […]
All year long, major esport competitions flood our screens and fill arenas with avid supporters. With the expansion of esports as a whole, the amount of prize money that tournaments are offering continues to grow. That number has reached an estimated $111 million USD in 2018 alone, with three months left in the year. According […]
Blizzard is a company that has proven time and time again that it can change the landscape of gaming. Even in their early years, the team gathered around the core members, some of which are still in the company, seemed destined to make gaming history. Today, that history includes another brand new accomplishment – an […]
Why are millions of dollars and piles of cold hard cash being thrown around for esports investments and prize-pools? One of the answers is the fanbase that continues to grow. Esports also provides experiences that you cannot get anywhere else. Here are a couple of reasons why people flock to the scene and get so […]
Staffordshire University, located in England, recently announced a new undergrad degree. The BA (Hons) Esports is a three-year program focused on the business of esports. The new program will teach students how to run and organize an esports team or franchise. “The degree covers not only the technical aspects of esports but also how to […]
In the crowded and ever expanding esports landscape there are more events to attend than ever. This article will give you 4 types and examples of events and how they differ. The wins and losses under each event type will help you better understand what to expect when attending. 1. Local Community Tournaments and Meetups […]
Epic Games have announced their plans for the Fortnite Fall Skirmish esports event. The Fall Skirmish will take place over 6 weeks, with the finale taking place at TwitchCon from October 26-28. The prize pool is much larger than the Summer Skirmish fortnite tournament ($1.5 million). During the Summer Skirmish there were over 500 players who took […]
Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends has announced a new arena in Seoul, South Korea. The new venue will be called LoL PARK. The venue will host the 2018 LoL World Championship play-in stage from October 1-4 and 6-7. The LoL PARK will host the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) starting in 2019. LoL Park Features […]
Activision Blizzard has just confirmed the rumors that have been swirling for months. Eight new Overwatch League teams have been officially announced. We can’t wait for the #OWL2019 season! Here are the 8 new teams joining the league! pic.twitter.com/zhkrNYDlko — Overwatch Esports (@OW_Esports) September 7, 2018 It is estimated that the franchise fees for Overwatch […]
Sources at ESPN are reporting Activision Blizzard has added Vancouver, Canada and Chengdu, China to Overwatch League (OWL) for Season 2. This news comes a day after a report surfaced that Washington, DC and Hangzou, China expansion teams are joining OWL. The Vancouver, Canada team is said to be owned by the Aquilini Investment Group, the owner of […]
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, has not yet decided if or when esports will be integrated into the Olympic Games. During an interview with The Associated Press at the Asian Games this past weekend, he discussed conditional requirements that are needed before approval. “We cannot have in the Olympic program a game which […]
Tencent’s value fell by $20 billion today due to the new video game and internet restrictions enforced by China’s Ministry of Education. The new restrictions have hindered Tencent (a now $413 billion USD company) from capitalizing on its mobile version of Player Unknown’s Battleground (PUBG). Tencent is a leading investor in the esports industry, with holdings in […]
Turner & IMG’s ELEAGUE is giving CS:GO fans an inside look at the key moments of the recent ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2018. The seven episode series will begin airing August 31 at 11pm EST/PST on TBS. Eight of the world’s best professional Counter-Strike / CS:GO teams will be featured during the show. According to ELEAGUE.com, “ELEAGUE will kick […]
The Overwatch League (OWL) has signed a multi-year content deal with Twitter. The partnership will broadcast Overwatch League highlights and live streams directly to Twitter. The deal begins this weekend, August 25-26, as Twitter will broadcast content from the OWL All-Star Game. Daniel Cherry, VP and CMO for Activision-Blizzard Esports Leagues discussed the partnership: “From […]
DOTA 2 is known as the esport with the highest prize pools. This year, according to the official website, the prize pool has surpassed $24,800,000, making The International the highest prize pool esports tournament to date. According to https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/highest-overall the top 40 esports earners are DOTA 2 players. The second highest esports game tourney is the LoL […]
Activision is taking a page from their partner company Blizzard. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be built to be an eSports beast. Black Ops 4 will feature enhanced teamwork mechanics similar to Overwatch in an effort to become eSports next big hit. This year it is once again Treyarch’s turn at things, likely […]
Four new NBA teams will be added for Season 2 of the NBA 2K League. The Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, and Brooklyn Nets will be the new franchises. “From their innovative spirit to their global reach, we know each of these teams will be a tremendous addition, and we are thrilled that […]
The FIFA eWorld Cup 2018 reached more than 29 million views throughout the 3 day tourney, from August 2nd-4th. The 29 million views is an increase of an estimated 400% over last years tourney. The streams/feeds were broadcasted among 12 digital platforms and 19 national broadcasters. The 29 million views also doubled the viewership numbers […]
The Overwatch League (OWL) finals which were played over two days, had an estimated 10.8 million viewers, states Blizzard. The finals were played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn between the London Spitfire and Philadelphia Fusion. The 10.8 million viewers is the total counted up from all broadcasters including ESPN, ABC, Twitch, and the Chinese networks. […]
Dear Parents, You should be paying DOTA 2 tutors instead of Fortnite tutors! – ESTNN According to https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/highest-overall the top 40 eSports money makers are playing DOTA 2. This comes as no surprise as the biggest prize pools (by far) come from DOTA 2 tourneys. The DOTA 2 International prize pool is over $20,000,000 USD! The next […]
Atlanta, USA and Guangzhou, China are joining the Blizzard / Activision Overwatch League. Atlanta has seen their MLS soccer team surpass popularity expectations and are hoping for the same result here. The two new teams are over 8,000 miles from one and other. Rumors had been swirling for a while now that the league would […]
The worldwide esports industry is ablaze as a few financial specialists are getting bullish on the business. “No question this is changing the landscape for media companies and how people are participating in sports,” Tim Seymour, co-founder and managing partner at Triogem Asset Management, a hedge fund, said on “Fast Money” Monday. A week ago, […]
Fortnite creator Epic Games has announced they will be putting $100 million USD towards their eSports prize pool. A statement from their blog made it clear they will be doing this much differently than Blizzard’s ever popular Overwatch league. “This is for you, the players. Qualifications for the Fortnite World Cup will be based on […]
Happy 1st Birthday Fortnite! Game designer Epic Games propelled Fortnite, the hugely mainstream multi-player online survival amusement that has overwhelmed the gaming scene. With 125 million players and over $1 billion in income, so far. To enable players to commend its one-year breakthrough, Fortnite’s designers disclosed some birthday-themed changes to the Battle Royale mode on […]