Sky Broadband, Guild Team Up for Women’s Esports

Key insights

5 takeaways

01
Guild Esports and Sky Broadband have launched a new initiative featuring a series of tournaments designed to increase female representation in professional esports.
02
The initiative cites data indicating that while women make up 47% of the gaming population, they represent only 5% of professional esports players.
03
The program includes the 'Sky Broadband RACERS ESERIES' beginning April 26 and a forthcoming 'Sky Broadband SOCCER ESERIES,' both of which feed into a final Women’s Esports Finals event.
04
Winners of the qualifying series will compete for cash prizes, Sky Full Fibre services, and professional esports contracts.
05
Guild Esports continues to face scrutiny regarding its commitment to the Saudi-backed Esports World Cup, given the potential conflict between that partnership and its stated mission to promote women in gaming.

Summary

Guild Esports, a publicly traded organization, has partnered with long-time collaborator Sky Broadband to launch a series of competitive gaming initiatives aimed at increasing female representation in the United Kingdom’s esports sector. The initiative is motivated by a significant disparity in the industry, where women account for 47% of the gaming population but represent only 5% of professional esports players.

The program features two primary tournament series: the Sky Broadband RACERS ESERIES, which begins in late April 2024, and the upcoming Sky Broadband SOCCER ESERIES. Both competitions are designed to provide a pathway for female gamers to compete professionally, with winners advancing to the Sky Broadband Women’s Esports Finals. Successful participants in these finals will compete for cash prizes and professional contracts, providing a tangible pipeline for talent development.

While the partnership focuses on gender equality in the UK gaming market, the organization’s broader business strategy has faced scrutiny. Guild Esports remains committed to participating in the Esports World Cup, an event backed by the Saudi Arabian government. This alignment has drawn criticism from human rights organizations regarding the country's record on women’s rights, creating a complex narrative surrounding the organization's simultaneous pursuit of domestic gender-inclusive initiatives and international partnerships with nations facing significant human rights concerns.