Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:50 PM on Thursday, March 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company partial 2018 reported revenue of $7.4 million representing a
625% increase over the same period in 2017.
Drake — along with media and tech heavyweights Marissa Mayer, Strauss
Zelnick and others — is investing $3 million into the seed funding
round for Players’ Lounge,
an esports platform where gamers can play their favorite video games
against others for prizes straight from their living room.
Why it matters: It’s the latest example of a celebrity investing in esports. NBA superstar Chris Bosh joined
esports franchise Gen.G as a player management advisor last year. Other
big names, from Michael Jordan to Steph Curry, are investing in
professional esports teams.
Other investors include Comcast, Macro Ventures, Canaan, RRE, and Courtside VC.
The details: Players’ Lounge allows gamers to
compete in skill-based esports competitions for cash prizes. Its mission
is to create a social platform for casual gamers to connect, get
matched, and compete without having to be a pro.
This is different from platforms like Twitch or YouTube gaming that focus on streaming tournaments.
Like Instagram, Players’ Lounge is hoping to give average people a
platform to compete and win money on esports games, in hopes of
eventually popularizing winners and leveraging their influencer status
to grow the brand.
Players can compete on PS4, Xbox One or PC devices. Anyone can make
an account and deposit funds into their Players’ Lounge account via
credit card, PayPal or cryptocurrency.
Once the scores are verified, the winner receives the prize money
from the pool players invested in upfront. These are usually small sums
that players can compete for incrementally, although the company does
also host bigger tournaments.
Players’ Lounge says it gives out millions of dollars worth of cash prizes each month.
The big picture: Players’ Lounge is making it easy
for casual gamers to earn cash from esports. Otherwise, the only way to
make money in esports is to go pro, which takes a lot of time and
resources, or to become a streamer via Twitch or Youtube, which focuses
more on personality than gaming skills.
“It’s kind of like the intramural network for esports. There’s a huge community potential.”
— Austin Woolridge, cofounder and CEO of Players’ Lounge
Bottom line: Esports is still a fledgling industry
compared to professional sports, but big names are investing in it
because it’s growing so fast, and the upside looks promising.
Celebrities, and especially celebrity athletes, see this as a way to
connect with hyper-engaged sports fans, who may not have the appetite to
participate in real sports but still want to compete with peers and
develop a community around game play.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, March 27th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Esports Popularity Around The Globe
Recent years have seen an explosion in the popularity of esports, fuelled by an insatiable appetite in Asia.
You can be sure that when a new trend starts, the USA won’t be far away from the action.
The country has taken esports to its heart and produced big names, like the celebrity gamer Ninja, otherwise known as Tyler Blevins from Michigan.
Recent years have seen an explosion in the popularity of esports,
fuelled by an insatiable appetite in Asia. It’s not just a case of
playing your favorite games hoping to get a better score than your
friends; players compete for mega bucks and have become rich and famous.
Massive Growth in Asia
There are billions of dollars to be made in the esports business.
Forecasters believe that the global market will expand by 75% to $1.6bn
by the end of 2021. The arrival of smartphones has made esports even
easier to play.
A major area of growth is in the number of live tournaments. Mixed
martial arts (MMA) promoter ONE Championship has already made a $50m
investment and wants to hold esports events alongside MMA matches.
China listed esports as an official sport in 2003
and 13 years later, it was declared a national industry. Another major
boost came in 2018 when esports became a demonstration sport at the
Asian Games. The next event takes place in 2022 and esports will be an
official medal sport.
More partnerships are being forged as companies realize just how much
money could be made in the future. The number of competitive players in
China doubled last year leading to online companies such as Alibaba
Group Holding and Tencent Holdings to set up venues in the country.
Rural areas, as well as the major cities, are being targeted, and events
take place on a weekly basis.
It’s big news for game developers as the tournaments create more
awareness of their products. The hope is that games such as League of
Legends and Dota 2 will see their already impressive sales boosted.
Academies are opening up in countries such as China, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.
It’s becoming big business with students paying up to $975 for a
month’s tuition, all dreaming of becoming professional players.
Achieving that dream could see them earning up to $700,000 a year.
Japan has also seen incredible growth in the popularity of esports.
That’s led to increased sales of high-performance gaming computers that
eliminate the possibility of even the shortest lag. Be sure to check out
our own reviews for the best gaming gear.
The Tokyo Game Show held in October 2018 saw plenty of talk about
esports. The second-hand market for these computers also sees increased
business. Others just go to many internet cafes and use their superior
equipment.
Perhaps the best-known Asian market of all is South Korea,
which is regarded as the country that started the esport revolution.
Gamers like Faker, Bang and Wolf are more or less household names.
South Korea hosts probably the biggest live esports event in the world – the League of Legends World Championship.
The Middle East is catching up
Dubai is a place of extravagance, and the Middle
Eastern kingdom has already made it known it would like to be a global
gaming destination for esports. The United Arab Emirates is already constructing the region’s first dedicated esports venue,
catering for players who can’t get enough of games like Counter-Strike.
Pro teams play each other with over $54,000 won in prize money.
Overwatch is also popular, and teams in the UAE include Risky Gaming,
Inferno Game Zone and Dubai Mirage.
However, esports is still some way behind other social online
entertainment there, such as online casinos. Despite land casinos and
sports betting being prohibited, locals are able to find plenty of legal opportunities to play online.
Saudi Arabia is another part of the Middle East
enjoying rising esports popularity; there’s even official government
representation and support for competitive gaming.
The United States and esports
You can be sure that when a new trend starts, the USA won’t be far
away from the action. The country has taken esports to its heart and
produced big names, like the celebrity gamer Ninja, otherwise known as Tyler Blevins from Michigan.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:07 AM on Monday, March 25th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
$50M esports arena coming to Philadelphia
The Fusion Arena, to open in 2021, will be home to the Philadelphia Fusion team that competes in the Overwatch League.
Photo: comcast spectacor
Comcast Spectacor and The Cordish Cos. are building a $50 million, 3,500-seat esports arena in Philadelphia
The Fusion Arena will be next to Wells Fargo Center, Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park and the mixed-use Xfinity Live development
“We’re thrilled to introduce a venue like no other as we move forward with the next phase of development within the Philadelphia Sports Complex,†said Dave Scott, Comcast Spectacor’s chairman and CEO.
Xfinity Live is also a joint venture between Comcast Spectacor and
Cordish, which specializes in real estate developments around stadiums
and arenas.
Architecture firm Populous designed the 60,000-square-foot venue,
which will be home to the Philadelphia Fusion, an esports team owned by
Comcast Spectacor that competes in the Overwatch League. The league
wants its teams to play in their home markets next year. The Fusion are
looking at playing at other venues in Philadelphia while the new esports
venue is being built.
Construction will start this summer on a site currently used as a
parking lot and the venue is scheduled to open in 2021. The Fusion
facility will have a 10,000-square-foot esports training facility as
well as two balcony bars, a broadcast studio and premium boxes and
suites.
The venue will be rigged to also host small concerts, comedy shows
and corporate events, said Joe Marsh, chief business officer for Comcast
Spectacor’s gaming division and the Fusion.
Populous also designed the $10 million Esports Stadium Arlington, a
100,000-square-foot gaming space built at the Arlington Convention
Center hear Dallas.
“We’ve reached a place now where there is a need for purpose-built
esports venues,†said Brian Mirakian, a senior principal with Populous.
“This project represents the prototype of the future.â€
Cordish
Principal Blake Cordish expects to see more esports projects like the
one in Philadelphia. “This flagship esports venue will perfectly
complement the surrounding anchors in the Philadelphia Sports Complex,â€
Cordish said. “The Cordish Cos. is extremely bullish about the future of
esports, especially when integrated into mixed-use, sports-anchored
developments.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 21st, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
The biggest esports tournaments and leagues in 2019
All around the world, esports
are on the rise and they don’t look to be slowing down any time soon.
Whether you want to tune in for a few hours of action-packed tournament
gameplay between the top pros or follow your favorite team week after
week in your favorite game’s league, we’ve got you covered.
Note that only standalone tournaments, not playoffs that take place
at the end of a season, are included in the list of esports tournaments.
Keep reading for the top esports tournaments and top esports leagues in
2019.
Top eSports tournaments
The International
Date: August 15-20, 2019
The International is the premier Dota 2 tournament that attracts
teams from around the world. Starting in the third year of the
tournament in 2013, Valve has sweetened the pot by adding 25% of the
total sales of the in game Battle Pass to the prize pool. This instantly
made it one of the best paid esports tournaments in the world, with the
2018 edition reaching more than $25 million in total prize money.
The International 2019 is set to take place from August 15-20 in
Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena. Teams will vie for one of the 18 spots
available by competing in a series of smaller tournaments known as the
Dota Pro Circuit. If 2018 was any indication, the first place prize is
likely to top $11 million.
Intel Extreme Masters
Date: February 13 – March 2, 2019
Intel Extreme Masters is one of the longest running series of esports
tournaments around. It features a number of tournaments in different
locations around the world, capped off with a World Championship. This
final tournament typically takes place in Katowice, with separate prize
pools and brackets for each game.
The most recent Intel Extreme Masters took place in from February 13 –
March 2. It included CS:GO (the 14th Major tournament), Dota 2,
Starcraft II, and for the first time ever, Fortnite: Battle Royale.
Smaller IEM tournaments will still be held throughout the year, with an
additional $1 million prize for the first time to win four eligible
tournaments in a single year.
CS:GO Major Tournaments
Date: August 20 -September 8, 2019
Counter Strike: Global Offensive Major Tournaments, known simply as
Majors, are biannual esports tournaments sponsored by the game’s
developer, Valve Corporation. It’s widely considered the most
prestigious CS:GO tournament, with players from around the globe
competing. Although the prize money is supplied by Valve, the
tournaments themselves are organized by other esports orgs, including
ESL, Major League Gaming, and DreamHack.
The most recent Major took place at the Intel Extreme Masters XIII,
with Danish squad Astralis winning first place and $500,000. The Fall
edition is set to take place in Berlin, and will feature 24 teams from
the four qualifying regions: Americas, Asia, CIS, and Europe.
The Overwatch World Cup features many of the same players as the
Overwatch League, but this time they are competing for their home
countries rather than their esports organizations. in 2018, four
countries hosted qualifying tournaments for six nations, with the top
two teams moving on to the finals at BlizzCon.
So far, no nations have been able to match the South Korean players’
prowess, with all three first place trophies heading to the
esports-friendly nation. It’s worth noting that players aren’t in it for
the money, as all participating teams receive the same prize of
$16,000. This can often lead to interesting strategies and wacky hijinks
in-game.
Fortnite World Cup Finals
Date: July 26-28, 2019
The Fortnite World Cup Finals
bring with them a prize pool worthy of the world’s most popular game:
$40 million. That’s nearly half of the $100 million that Epic Games
pledged for 2019 to make their hit game into an esports juggernaut.
Although the game’s suitability for competitive play is questionable,
the sheer size of the pool has drawn players and streamers from a
variety of backgrounds to play.
Weekly qualifiers kick off April 13, with a prize pool of $1 million
to be distributed among successful contestants. From there, the top 100
solo players and the top 50 duo players will be invited to New York City
for the Fortnite World Cup Finals. Each qualifying player will earn at
least $50,000, with the top solo player taking home $30 million.
Evolution Championship Series
Date: August 2-4, 2019
If you’re a fan of fighting games, odds are you’ve already heard of
the Evolution Championship Series, or Evo for short. Evo is easily the
biggest esports tournament in the genre, growing year after year since
its start more than 20 years ago in 1996.
This year’s tournament is set to take place in Las Vegas from August
2-4. It will feature brackets for a variety of fighting games, including
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Tekken 7, Street Fighter V, Dragonball
FighterZ, and others.
The Overwatch League,
or OWL, has just entered its second season, with a total prize pool of
$5 million. If you haven’t heard of it, OWL is Blizzard-Activision’s
official esports league for their hit first-person hero shooter
Overwatch. In 2018, it was the most watched esports league, mostly
because of the sheer number of hours the league was broadcast.
The action is spread out across a 28-match schedule with four,
five-week long stages. Each stage concludes with a playoff tournament
for the honor of becoming the Stage Champions, but the real prize is
after the end of the fourth stage. The OWL season 2 grand finals (not to
be confused with the Overwatch World Cup above), will have the top
teams vying to become the season 2 champions and take home the $1
million prize that comes with it.
League of Legends Championship Series
This year Riot Games’ official League of Legends esports league
underwent a rebranding, with the NALCS changing to the LCS, and the
EULCS switching to the League European Championship (LEC). Other
popular regions like China’s LPL and Korea’s LCK remain unchanged.
The season is divided into two sections, the Spring and Summer
splits, with a short split playoff game and mid-season Invitational
tournament tucked between them. The real excitement is at the League of
Legends World Championship, which brings together the top teams from all
regions to compete for the cup. Last year’s tournament drew nearly 75 million viewers, making it the most watched esports event of the year.
Call of Duty World League
While most first-person shooter competitions take place at esports
tournaments, Activision set up a league for the Call of Duty franchise.
This year the league enters its fourth season, with all matches played
on the PS4 versin of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
Unlike last season, this season the action is all 5v5 team modes,
including Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, and Control game types. The
finals are scheduled for some time in August of this year. Before you
get excited, no, the recently added battle royale mode will not be
played in the league.
Rocket League Championship Series
The esports League for Psyonix’s car-soccer hit Rocket League is back
again in 2019 with $1 million in prizes. This year an additional region
has been added as South America joins the existing American and
European regions.
After a series of qualifiers, the action will kick off in early
April. There is also a secondary Rival league for teams that fail to
qualify for the main league with $100,000 in prize money.
PUBG Global Championship
Fortnite may have dethroned PUBG in the fight for battle royale
supremacy, but PUBG is pushing back with the introduction of the PUBG
Global Championship in 2019. The season is divided into three phases,
each of which is followed by one or more international tournaments.
There are six regional Pro Leagues in the inaugural season: North
America, Europe, Korea, Japan, China, and Chinese Taipei. There are also
three smaller “Pro Circuit†regions for Southeast Asia, Latin America,
and Oceana. Each will host its own regional events before sending the
top teams to compete internationally. The PUBG Global Championship
finals are set to take place some time in November.
Mobile esports on the rise
Mobile esports are still small in comparison with their PC and
console peers, but here are a few mobile esport tournaments and leagues
to check out.
Clash Royale League — Supercell’s official esports league for their hit arena strategy game, Clash Royale.
Valor Series — The premier esports league for Arena of Valor entered its third year in February.
Vainglory —
The mobile MOBA is featured regularly at international tournaments and
even has a pro league called the Vainglory Premier League.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:48 PM on Tuesday, March 19th, 2019
London-based marketing firm AffiliateINSIDER will take responsibility for the growth of the e-sports betting platform VIE.gg’s affiliate partner program globally
Esports’ VIE.gg offers exchange style wagering on e-sports events in a licensed, regulated and secured platform
Esports Entertainment Group Inc (OTCQB:GMBL),
the licensed online gambling company, said Tuesday it has struck up a
new contract with AffiliateINSIDER, a London-based public relations and
marketing firm, to broaden the reach of its e-sports betting platform
VIE.gg.
Under the deal’s terms, AffiliateINSIDER will take on responsibility
for the growth of VIE.gg’s affiliate partner program globally, helping
Esports to add both new affiliates and customers.
VIE.gg offers exchange-style wagering and pool betting on e-sports
events in a licensed, regulated and secured platform. It is the first
and most transparent e-sports bet exchange as a result of Esports
Entertainment Group being a fully reporting SEC issuer in the US.
“We are excited to partner with AffiliateINSIDER as we continue to
grow and manage our affiliate network. They had an acute understanding
of the complexities we face in the emerging esports sector and have been
involved with managing and growing affiliate networks and programs
since the very beginning in the gambling space,†said Grant Johnson, CEO
of Esports, in a statement.
Esports Entertainment Group Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a focus on e-sports wagering and gaming for adults.
Esports shares held steady at US$0.55 in morning trade on Tuesday.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, March 12th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
‘Revenge of the gamers’ – eSports hits big time, with or without Olympics
eSports’ bid to reach the Olympics may be on hold but backing from big sponsors and a relentless march into the mainstream raise the question of whether it needs the Games at all.
With sportswear giant Nike last month announcing its sponsorship of China’s Legends Pro League, video gaming already bears the hallmarks of any successful sport.
Adidas, Mercedes and BMW are some of the other global brands to jump
on board, while McDonald’s dropped its sponsorship of Germany’s national
football team to focus on eSports.
The Legends Pro League, China’s official competition for the League
of Legends game, has 14 regional divisions, and teams have their own
home venues. The game also has an annual world championship.
As of next year, professional players will be fully decked out in
Nike-designed jerseys and trainers, with an accompanying lifestyle range
— much like any big football, basketball or baseball team.
“It’s (eSports) already hit mainstream, a couple of years back,”
Philip So, who heads business development at League of Legends developer
Riot Games, told AFP at last week’s Sportel convention in Macau.
“(But the Nike sponsorship) had a huge reaction from our fans when we
announced it, even from the Nike side. I think it was surprising to
everyone how much buzz it generated.”
A Goldman Sachs briefing in October said eSports was on course to
reach nearly 300 million viewers by 2022 — similar numbers to American
football’s NFL.
– ‘NBA didn’t need the Olympics’ –
Some are now beginning to wonder if the Olympics needs eSports more
than the other way round, as the venerable institution dating back to
the late 19th century strives to reach a younger audience.
“I think it would be great for the Olympic programme to have eSports
because they are going to be able to capture the attention of a new
audience that otherwise would disappear,” Maurizio Barbieri, Twitter’s
Southeast Asian head of sports partnerships, said at Sportel.
“But overall, (how would the Olympics help eSports) in general?
“I mean, the NBA didn’t need the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to become the number one basketball league in the world.”
eSports won’t be part of the Olympics until at least Los Angeles
2028, after it was left off the list of nominated sports for Paris 2024
— which included the equally youth-friendly breakdancing, surfing,
skateboarding and climbing.
But So said that when eSports was a demonstration event at last
year’s Asian Games, viewing figures in China outstripped those of
traditional sports, even though the competition wasn’t shown on TV.
People who play computer games, he added, are now proud to identify
themselves as “gamers”, underlining the rise of a movement that has
spread organically, from the grassroots up.
“It’s a complete paradigm shift. This is the time for gamers to come out. It’s revenge of the gamers,” said So.
– Deeply fragmented –
Much of the opposition to eSports is related to concerns over screen
time and inactivity among young people, as well as a lack of knowledge
and understanding of the games.
China has been particularly cautious, last year announcing curbs
including temporarily suspending new releases of online games — sending
shares plummeting in Tencent, Riot Games’ parent company.
But So said China’s sports ministry remained a supporter of eSports,
drawing a distinction between professional, organised gaming and
streaming, where amateurs play for audiences online.
“I don’t think eSports makes the government very nervous. I really don’t think so,” he said.
“Because the sports bureau etc, we work very closely with them and
it’s definitely on their agenda and interest to grow the sport as well.”
However, So was at a loss to predict whether eSports would finally
make it into the Olympics, a campaign that faces a number of hurdles.
As well as concerns over eSports’ lack of physical activity, the
scene is deeply fragmented, as different games are made by competing
studios. It is also yet to form a world governing body — a stipulation
demanded by the IOC.
“I honestly don’t know. I wish I had the answer,” So said, when asked what was the way forward for eSports’ Olympic bid.
“How an overarching arm across all different games (would work), I’d be very curious to know,” he added.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:27 PM on Tuesday, March 5th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
G-Loot welcomes $25 million in investment
Swedish esports company G-Loot has received an $25 million £18,695,883.50) from both new investors and current investors such as Swedbank Robur and asset management company Norron.
G-Loot is the parent company of competitive PUBG platform Global Loot League and competitive card game platform TopDeck. This capital will be used to bolster prize pools and help expand in terms of staff, more competitive titles, and more competitions.
Patrik Nybladh, Founder and CEO of G-Loot
commented on the investment: â€It feels great that G-Loot now has
secured 25 million US dollars to finance our ongoing expansion and to
support our ambition to become the world’s leading online esports
company. As far as I know it is the largest European esports investment
ever. I am particularly glad that our current major owners increased
their holdings when given the chance.â€
G-Loot
received $12.1 million (£9.2 million) in an investment round led by
Swedbank Robur in January 2018. At the time, the capital was said to be
going towards staff recruitment, increased marketing, and platform
development.
Henrik Carlman, Fund Manager at Swedbank Robur
commented: “Esports is one of the fastest growing forms of
entertainment today. There are plenty of opportunities and many
companies are trying to get a piece of the growth but only a few of them
have a clear idea on how to monetize the emerging industry. G-Loot are
among the very few with a proven business model and a grand vision of
democratizing esports and making competitive gaming available to all.
“I am
very proud and enthusiastic to support G-Loot and its entrepreneurs with
our second investment in the company. G-Loot’s strong growth and
improved profitability creates a fantastic opportunity for our funds to
participate in this kind of value creation.â€
Esports
Insider says: This is a huge investment for most industries, never mind
just in esports. G-Loot’s offering is interesting so we’ll be keeping
an eye on how these additional funds helps things to improve further
over the coming months.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:18 PM on Friday, March 1st, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Nike Signs Its First Esports Sponsorship Deal
Nike is entering the esports game, following competitors Adidas and Puma into the field.
The global sports brand has signed a four-year deal with China’s League of Legends Pro League, agreeing to supply all squads with clothing and footwear starting this year.
“Since its inception, Nike has always believed that in all sports, a
strong body and will will make athletes better,†the company said in a statement.
“As China becomes a new e-sports cultural center, Nike is pleased to
support the next generation of athletes and establish a long-term
cooperative relationship with e-sports to contribute to the future
development of sports ecology.â€
The league consists of 16 teams and has one of the largest followings
in the world. Fans will also be able to buy Nike-produced products at
live tournaments.
The announcement is Nike’s first formal sponsorship of an esports
team or competition, although the company did feature an esports athlete
in a marketing campaign last year. Financial terms of its esports
contract with the league were not disclosed.
The company is actually a bit late to the competitive video game
world, as Adidas and Puma both already have presences in the field.
Beyond simply supplying clothes and shoes, Nike says it also plans to
work with esports athletes to custom-design training programs to help
them improve.
While they might have been scoffed at initially, esports have become
recognized as a bona fide athletic event in recent years. They were
under consideration at one point for inclusion in the 2024 Olympics
and they will be a medal event in the 2022 Asian Games—a multi-sport
event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia.
Tournaments are regularly aired on ESPN, Turner Broadcasting, Disney and other networks.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:03 PM on Wednesday, February 6th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
China recognizes esports as a profession
China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (CMHRSS) announced 15 new professions on Jan. 25, including “esports professional†and “esports operator.â€
The world’s most populous nation has finally recognized esports as a legitimate profession, and the ministry has officially identified it in the courts.
China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (CMHRSS) announced 15 new professions on Jan. 25, including “esports professional†and “esports operator.â€
The world’s most populous nation has finally recognized esports as a
legitimate profession, and the ministry has officially identified it in
the courts. It comes as news following last year, when the Chinese
government issued its support and interest in the esports industry.
The term “esports professional†is defined as players who compete in
esports tournaments, perform at esports events, or train with other
professional players, according to the CMHRSS. While “esports operatorâ€
is explicitly classified as those who organize or develop content for
esports tournaments.
Additionally, the CMHRSS noted that “account boosting†is one of the
main jobs accompanying the esports profession. Account boosting and
cheating are punishable offenses in League of Legends, Overwatch, and
a number of other esports titles, and have caused controversy in the
past. A lack of communication between the Chinese government and the
esports industry could be the reason for the term account boosting being
used, or it could just be a misunderstanding.
The term account boosting could have been used by the CMHRSS to
reference players using their teammates’ account during professional
play, but generally “account boosting†is defined as the act of one
player logging into another player’s account with the intent of boosting
their rank.
It is not clear yet if the ministry’s use of the word account
boosting will be revised. However, the announcement of the inclusion of
esports professional and esports operator as official jobs is a positive
step for the growth of esports in China. It means that Chinese players
will have extended working rights, giving them easier access to working
visas, and allow them more freedom of movement.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:48 PM on Tuesday, January 29th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
—————————–
Integrated eSports facility opens in Hong Kong as the city seeks to become a regional hub
An integrated eSports complex called Cyber Games Arena (CGA) has opened in Hong Kong.
It hopes to attract 1.2m visitors and hold more than 100 local and overseas eSports competitions annually / SCMP. Â By Shawn Lim
The 25,000 sq ft facility cost HK$30 million ($3.8m) to build and
aims to turn the city into a regional eSports hub for young talent in
the industry as it grows. The two-storey building consists of training
facilities, a competition arena for up to 80 gamers, television
broadcasts, online streaming platforms and a retail area.
It hopes to attract 1.2m visitors and hold more than 100 local and overseas eSports competitions annually.
The Hong Kong government has also strengthened its support for the
eSports industry by allocating HK$100 million to Cyberport, a business
park in Hong Kong, to build an HK$50 million eSports competition venue
and nurturing talent for start-ups.
“Apart from subsidies, we will also improve the business environment
and remove red tape,†said Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the chief
executive of Hong Kong, who officiated the opening of the facility.
“The Innovation and Technology Bureau, the Home Affairs Bureau and
other departments are working together to solve problems related to
e-sports venues – a new guideline will be issued soon to help the
eSports industry.â€
