The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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Zoned Signs Partnerships With Topgolf, DairyMax, and More
Zoned, a gaming-focused marketing agency owned by GameSquare, has secured a series of new brand partnerships that are projected to generate $3 million in revenue.
- Zoned, a gaming-focused marketing agency owned by GameSquare, has secured new partnerships expected to generate $3 million in revenue.
- The agency is launching extensive marketing campaigns for Topgolf and DairyMAX as part of its new business growth.
- Zoned is also developing upcoming projects with various global sports, media, and entertainment companies, though specific names and financial terms for these deals remain undisclosed.
G2 Esports Names Mathieu Lacrouts Head of Media House
G2 Esports has appointed Mathieu Lacrouts as the new head of its Media House division, a strategic move aimed at broadening the organization’s brand reach beyond traditional gaming and esports.
- G2 Esports has appointed Mathieu Lacrouts as the new Head of its Media House division to lead a strategic expansion beyond traditional gaming and esports.
- Lacrouts’ appointment coincides with the official closure of Hurrah, the gaming and esports marketing agency he founded in 2015.
- The Media House division operates as a work-for-hire entertainment unit, providing advertising services and content creation for blue-chip brands, rightsholders, and game publishers.
ESL FACEIT Group Signs Multi-Year Deal With Esports World Cup
The ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation to serve as the official operating partner for the Esports World Cup.
- ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has signed a multi-year partnership to serve as the official operating partner for the Esports World Cup.
- Under the agreement, EFG will manage tournament operations and broadcast programming for the event starting in 2025.
- EFG is a subsidiary of Savvy Games Group, which is owned by the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund, the same entity funding the non-profit Esports World Cup Foundation.
Kolex Plans On-Demand Collectible Services for Esports Organizations
Kolex is expanding its service offerings to include print-to-order and print-on-demand capabilities specifically designed for esports organizations.
- Kolex is launching new print-to-order and print-on-demand services later in Q3 2024 to help esports organizations monetize and commemorate historical team moments.
- The service allows teams to create limited-edition physical and digital trading cards, with revenue shared between the organization and Kolex.
- SK Gaming is the inaugural partner for the service, with initial promotional cards scheduled to be distributed at their booth during Gamescom in Cologne.
ESL Names Logitech G Pro Series a Partner of ESL Pro Tour and ESL Impact
The ESL FACEIT Group has entered into a strategic partnership with Logitech G, designating the Logitech G PRO Series as the official gaming gear provider for the ESL Pro Tour and the ESL Impact Counter-Strike 2 circuits.
- The ESL FACEIT Group has named the Logitech G PRO Series as the official gaming gear partner for its Counter-Strike 2 circuits, including the ESL Pro Tour and ESL Impact.
- The partnership officially commences at the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne, scheduled for August 7–18, 2024, where professional players will use Logitech G PRO equipment on stage.
- Logitech G PRO Series gear will be integrated into several major 2024 events, including IEM Rio in October, ESL Pro League Season 20 in September, and the ESL Impact Season 6 Global Finals at DreamHack Stockholm.
David Meltzer Joins Global Gaming League Board
Global Gaming League has appointed David Meltzer, founder of Sports 1 Marketing and host of The Playbook podcast, to its board of directors.
- David Meltzer, founder of Sports 1 Marketing, has joined the board of directors for the Global Gaming League.
- Meltzer joins a board that includes chairman Jeff Hoffman (founder of Priceline.com) and record executive Jermaine Dupri.
- The Global Gaming League is a venture focused on the intersection of gaming, culture, and competition, led by CEO and founder Clinton Sparks.
Rainbow Six Siege, Marvel Rivals Receive Game Approval in China
China’s National Press and Publication Administration has granted official game approval to Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege and NetEase’s Marvel Rivals.
- China’s National Press and Publication Administration has officially approved Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege and NetEase’s Marvel Rivals for release in the Chinese market.
- Tencent will serve as the distributor for Rainbow Six Siege on both PC and mobile platforms and is expected to lead the game's esports operations in China.
- The approval of Rainbow Six Siege authorizes the game to be streamed on major Chinese platforms including Douyu, Huya, and Bilibili, all of which are backed by Tencent.
Guild Esports Exploring Options, Including a Possible Sale
Guild Esports, a publicly traded organization based in the United Kingdom, is currently navigating a severe liquidity crisis that has prompted a formal strategic review of its business operations.
- Guild Esports (LSE: GILD) is facing a severe liquidity crisis, reporting a cash position of only £25K ($32K USD) as of July 31, 2024.
- The organization faces £1.36M ($1.74M USD) in confirmed liabilities through September 2024, against £1.52M ($1.95M USD) in accounts receivable.
- The Board is actively exploring strategic alternatives, including asset sales, cost-cutting measures, additional fundraising, or a potential sale of the entire company.
Global Head of LoL Esports Naz Aletaha Announces Exit from Riot Games
Naz Aletaha, the Global Head of League of Legends Esports at Riot Games, has announced her departure from the company.
- Naz Aletaha, the Global Head of League of Legends Esports, has announced her departure from Riot Games after a 12.5-year tenure.
- Aletaha will remain with the company for several months to manage a leadership transition before officially exiting in the fall.
- Chris Greeley, who has been with Riot Games for nearly eight years and has overseen League of Legends Esports strategy for the past two, will take over leadership of the division.
Gamers Lounge Teams With Riot Games for MEA
Cairo-based gaming organization Gamers Lounge has entered a strategic partnership with Riot Games to serve as its official creative arm for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.
- Cairo-based agency Gamers Lounge has been appointed as the official creative arm for Riot Games in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for the 2024 calendar year.
- The partnership, which has been active since the start of 2024, tasks Gamers Lounge with promoting Riot Games' intellectual properties, including Valorant, League of Legends, and League of Legends: Wild Rift.
- Gamers Lounge is launching a 'Creative Hub' dedicated to graphic design, illustration, video production, and broadcast services to support Riot Games' regional vision.
BLAST Premier Teams With KICK for 2024
UK-based tournament operator BLAST has entered into a non-exclusive partnership with the streaming platform KICK to broadcast its Counter-Strike 2 competitive circuit for the remainder of 2024.
- BLAST Premier has signed a non-exclusive broadcast partnership with the streaming platform KICK for the remainder of the 2024 Counter-Strike 2 season.
- The deal expands the reach of BLAST Premier events to over 150 territories and 28 languages.
- KICK will broadcast the Fall Groups (July 29 – Aug. 4), Fall Showdown (Aug. 21 – 25), Fall Final (Sept. 25 – 29), and the upcoming World Final.
Talon Esports Partners With Certified Saudi Arabia, XP.GG
Talon Esports, a global organization based in Hong Kong, has expanded its commercial footprint through two strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing brand visibility and digital engagement.
- Hong Kong-based Talon Esports has entered into a partnership with Saudi Arabian streetwear brand Certified Saudi Arabia to release a limited-edition apparel collection featuring the organizations' respective bird logos.
- The apparel collaboration, facilitated by Hawk Gaming Group, launches on July 29, 2024, to coincide with Talon Esports' participation in the World Cup in Riyadh, where they are competing in PUBG Mobile, Starcraft 2, and Rainbow 6 Siege.
- Talon Esports has also partnered with Melbourne-based Perion Labs to promote XP.GG, a blockchain-based gaming platform launching on August 1, 2024.