The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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Honda Drops Team Liquid Partnership
Honda has officially terminated its six-year partnership with the international esports organization Team Liquid.
- Honda has terminated its six-year partnership with esports organization Team Liquid following a controversial social media post by a professional player.
- On May 13, 2025, Team Liquid Rainbow Six Siege player Lucas Dias posted a GIF of a nuclear mushroom cloud directed at Japanese organization CAG Osaka after a tournament loss.
- Team Liquid has fined Dias four months of pay and mandated re-training for all players and coaches across every game title to prevent future incidents.
NRG Announces Broad Partnership Deal With AndaSeat
North American esports organization NRG has entered into a multi-year partnership with gaming chair manufacturer AndaSeat.
- NRG and gaming chair brand AndaSeat have entered into a multi-year partnership, with financial terms remaining undisclosed.
- AndaSeat is now the official gaming chair partner of NRG, providing seating solutions for the organization's professional players, content creators, and Los Angeles facility.
- The partnership includes the development of a special edition co-branded NRG x AndaSeat chair, designed with input from NRG staff and players.
Craig Levine Stepping Down as Co-CEO of ESL FACEIT Group
Craig Levine, a long-time executive at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), has announced his departure from the position of co-CEO.
- Craig Levine is stepping down as Co-CEO of ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) after an eleven-year tenure with the organization.
- Niccolo Maisto will assume the role of sole CEO for EFG following Levine’s departure.
- Levine will remain with the company in an advisory capacity through the end of 2025 to facilitate a leadership transition.
GeoGuessr Coming to the Esports World Cup Festival
The Esports World Cup Foundation has announced that the mobile game GeoGuessr will join the tournament program for the 2025 Esports World Cup Festival.
- GeoGuessr has been added to the Esports World Cup (EWC) Festival program, which runs alongside the EWC 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The GeoGuessr 'Last Chance Wildcard Tournament' will take place from July 21–27, 2025, featuring a $20,000 USD prize pool for the world's top 16 ranked players.
- The top two finishers at the Riyadh event will secure the final qualifying spots for the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship, scheduled for August 29–30 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
ASUS Republic of Gamers Names ZywOo an Official Ambassador
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has officially appointed professional Counter-Strike 2 player Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut as a global keyboard ambassador.
- ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has signed professional Counter-Strike 2 player Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut as a global keyboard ambassador.
- The partnership was facilitated by Prodigy Agency, which has represented ZywOo since the start of his professional career.
- ZywOo will specifically promote the ROG Falchion Ace HFX, which he identifies as his current keyboard of choice for competition.
Shikenso Analytics Renews and Expands Partnership with BLAST
Shikenso Analytics, a German firm specializing in sponsorship measurement, has renewed and expanded its multi-year partnership with the global esports tournament organizer BLAST.
- Shikenso Analytics has signed a multi-year renewal and expansion of its partnership with tournament organizer BLAST.
- The expanded agreement covers a broader range of events, including BLAST Premier, RLCS, FNCS, BLAST Slam, BLAST R6, and the BLAST.tv Austin Major.
- Shikenso Analytics will provide AI-driven sponsorship measurement, focusing on brand visibility, placement, and audience engagement across live streams and social media.
OnePlus Partners With Top Mobile Esports Teams in India
OnePlus has entered into strategic partnerships with three prominent Indian esports organizations: Gods Reign, K9, and Cincinnati Kids.
- OnePlus has entered into partnerships with three prominent Indian esports organizations: Gods Reign, K9, and Cincinnati Kids.
- As part of the rebranding agreement, the teams will now compete under the names OnePlus Gods Reign, OnePlus K9, and OnePlus Cincinnati Kids.
- The collaboration aims to establish a 'gaming-first ecosystem' in India and promote OnePlus mobile devices as the preferred hardware for competitive mobile gaming.
OBSBOT Partners With Esports World Cup 2025
The Esports World Cup Foundation has entered into a two-year partnership with OBSBOT, an AI-powered camera brand owned by the China-based company REMO TECH.
- The Esports World Cup Foundation has entered a two-year partnership with AI-powered camera brand OBSBOT, naming it the official camera and webcam partner for the 2025 event.
- OBSBOT, a brand owned by the China-based company REMO TECH, will integrate its technology into the event's production studios, player areas, streaming stations, and venue activation zones.
- The Esports World Cup 2025 is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24.
Esports Charts Parent ESM.one Rebrands to AWERTI
The Ukraine-based data analytics firm formerly known as ESM.one has officially rebranded to AWERTI.
- Ukraine-based data firm ESM.one has rebranded to AWERTI to reflect its expansion beyond competitive gaming and esports analytics.
- The company’s portfolio includes Esports Charts, Streams Charts, DoHuya, the influencer marketing agency MIRAI, and Chess Watch.
- AWERTI now provides broader viewership analytics services for brands and organizations covering diverse sectors, including traditional sports and politics.
Team Vitality Acquires Indonesia-Based Bigetron Esports
Team Vitality has acquired the Indonesia-based organization Bigetron Esports to bolster its presence in the Southeast Asian mobile gaming market.
- Paris-based Team Vitality has acquired the Indonesian esports organization Bigetron Esports for an undisclosed sum.
- Following the acquisition, Bigetron Esports will be rebranded as 'Bigetron by Vitality' to lead the organization's mobile gaming operations.
- The deal is part of Team Vitality’s long-term strategy to accelerate growth in the Southeast Asian market and secure additional club points for the Esports World Cup.
Naraka: Bladepoint to Be Part of Esports World Cup Festival
The Esports World Cup Foundation and NetEase Games have announced that the battle royale title Naraka: Bladepoint will be the first game featured in the Esports World Cup (EWC) Festival program for 2025.
- NetEase Games' battle royale title, Naraka: Bladepoint, is the first game confirmed for the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) Festival tournament program.
- The Naraka: Bladepoint Mid-Season Championship will feature a total prize pool of $500,000, split into $150,000 for solos and $350,000 for trios.
- The championship tournament is scheduled to take place on August 22 and August 23, 2025.
ESL FACEIT Group Partners With Red Bull for DreamHack
The ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has entered into a strategic partnership with Red Bull, designating the energy drink brand as the official energy drink partner of the DreamHack festival series.
- ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has named Red Bull the official energy drink partner of its DreamHack festival series.
- The partnership will debut at DreamHack Dallas, scheduled for May 23–25, 2025, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
- Red Bull will operate a booth and host the Red Bull Home Ground US Qualifier for Valorant during the Dallas event.