The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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Saudi Government Tightening Belt on Some Mega Projects
The Saudi Arabian government is currently conducting a comprehensive review of its national mega-projects, leading to significant budget adjustments and the potential suspension of certain initiatives.
- Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is leading a government committee to conduct a sweeping budget review of Saudi Arabia's mega projects, resulting in planned spending cuts and project delays.
- Projects currently under review for budget reductions include the mega-city NEOM, the Qiddiya Coast tourism and entertainment development, and plans for a new national airline.
- The fiscal tightening is driven by lower-than-anticipated oil prices, a shortfall in expected foreign investment, and a projected national budget deficit over the next three years.
ESE Entertainment Sells Remaining Interest in GameAddik
ESE Entertainment has finalized a definitive share purchase agreement to divest its remaining 30% interest in the gaming-focused advertising agency GameAddik.
- ESE Entertainment has entered a definitive agreement to sell its remaining 30% stake in the gaming marketing agency GameAddik to BPV Games Limited Partnership for approximately $4 million CAD ($2.92 million USD).
- This transaction follows ESE Entertainment's initial sale of a 70% interest in GameAddik to BPV Games in August 2023.
- The deal includes a final holdback payment of $548,000 CAD ($401,000 USD) scheduled for release on August 14, 2024.
Honda Partners With Twitch Rivals
Honda has entered into a strategic partnership with Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch to become the official automotive partner of the Twitch Rivals tournament series.
- Honda has become the official automotive partner of the Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch Rivals, though the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
- The partnership centers on promoting the 2025 Civic hybrid sedan through an interactive, multi-episode content series titled 'Chat’s Civic Mods' that allows the community to customize the vehicle in-stream.
- A crowdsourced, custom-designed 2025 Civic hybrid will be unveiled at TwitchCon in San Diego, scheduled for September 20–22, 2024, where it will be awarded to a member of the Twitch community.
International Olympic Committee Signs 12-Year Deal With Saudi Arabia for Esports Olympic Games
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has entered into a 12-year partnership with the National Olympic Committee of Saudi Arabia to host the newly established Olympic Esports Games.
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has signed a 12-year partnership with the Saudi Arabian government to host the Esports Olympic Games.
- The agreement aims to promote Olympic values, including gender equality and engagement with younger audiences, through the development of esports within the Kingdom.
- The IOC maintains a policy against including top-tier competitive titles that feature violent content, which remains a significant point of contention for many esports fans.
Heinz, Logitech G, and Secretlab Partner With Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup Foundation has secured partnerships with Heinz, Logitech G, and Secretlab, naming them official event suppliers for the multi-week tournament held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 3 to August 25, 2024.
- The Esports World Cup, a multi-week tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has signed Heinz, Logitech G, and Secretlab as official event suppliers.
- The event features a total prize pool of $60 million USD and runs from July 3 to August 25, 2024.
- Logitech G will provide equipment from its PRO SERIES line for competitors and host an on-site booth for fan engagement.
Esports Charts Partners With Esports World Cup
Esports Charts has entered into a partnership with the Esports World Cup (EWC) to provide comprehensive viewership analytics for the 2024 competition.
- Esports Charts has partnered with the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2024 to provide comprehensive viewership analytics for the multi-week competition.
- The Esports World Cup is a multi-discipline event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, running from July 3 to August 25, 2024, with an overall prize pool of $60 million USD.
- The event is funded by the Saudi Arabian government and facilitated by the ESL FACEIT Group, a subsidiary of the Saudi-owned Savvy Games Group.
Eight Esports World Cup Sponsors Not Shown in Chinese Broadcasts
The Esports World Cup (EWC) experienced a significant loss in brand exposure during its July 2024 League of Legends competition, as eight major sponsors were excluded from Chinese broadcasts.
- Eight major Esports World Cup (EWC) sponsors—Brans, KitKat, LG UltraGear, Adidas, Qiddiya, Dr. Sulaiman AL Habib Medical Group, Pepsi, and Sony—were excluded from Chinese broadcasts of the League of Legends competition.
- The only sponsor featured during the Chinese League of Legends broadcasts was the Saudi Arabian telecommunications company STC Group.
- The omission of sponsor branding extended beyond China, with reports indicating that Vietnamese, French, and Arabic broadcasts also failed to display EWC sponsor logos.
Paysafe Named Main Partner of VCT EMEA and Game Changers
Riot Games has entered into a strategic partnership with global payment processing company Paysafe, naming it the main partner for the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA and Valorant Game Changers EMEA.
- Paysafe has been named the main partner of the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA and Valorant Game Changers EMEA through the end of 2025.
- The partnership promotes Paysafe’s 'paysafecard' solution across VCT EMEA broadcasts, social media channels, and the Riot Games Arena in Berlin.
- Paysafe will sponsor the 'THRIFTY' in-game segment, which highlights teams that win a round despite having a lower economic investment than their opponents.
Red Bull Home Ground Comes to Berlin in November
Red Bull Gaming has announced that the Red Bull Home Ground, a professional Valorant off-season invitational, will return to Berlin, Germany, in November 2024.
- Red Bull Home Ground, a professional Valorant off-season invitational, will take place at Arena Berlin from November 20–23, 2024.
- The tournament will feature eight top-tier Valorant teams, including Fnatic, Karmine Corp, and Germany-based FOKUS Clan.
- The event will be supported by three primary partners: AGON by AOC (monitors), Blacklyte (gaming chairs), and Jeep, which is joining as a partner for the first time.
NACE Starleague Becomes NACE
The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) has officially transitioned to an independent operational model, rebranding its conference from NACE Starleague to NACE Esports.
- The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) has ended its partnership with Playfly Sports and will operate its conference independently under the name NACE Esports.
- NACE Executive Director Michael Brooks cited unauthorized changes by Playfly Sports to broadcast schedules, prize pools, and in-person grand finals as primary reasons for the split.
- NACE leadership claims they had to intervene to restore prize pools and revive in-person grand finals after Playfly’s management decisions negatively impacted the league.
Playfly Sports Rebrands Collegiate Esports Division
Playfly Sports has officially rebranded its collegiate esports division, transitioning from the NACE Starleague moniker to Playfly College Esports.
- Playfly Sports has rebranded its collegiate esports division, formerly known as NACE Starleague, to Playfly College Esports.
- Curtis Winger, the current VP of Esports Operations, has been appointed as the new league commissioner to lead governance alongside an advisory committee of school representatives.
- The organization plans to award over $150,000 in scholarship prizing for the 2024/2025 academic year.
Ghost Gaming Joins Ultimate Endgamers League
The Atlanta-based esports organization Ghost Gaming has officially partnered with the Ultimate Endgamers League (UEL) to launch a new regional expansion team, the Georgia Ghost.
- Atlanta-based esports organization Ghost Gaming has partnered with the Ultimate Endgamers League (UEL) to launch a new expansion team called the Georgia Ghost.
- The UEL Season 9, which features 14 professional teams, offers a $1 million USD prize pool along with player stipends and wellness benefits.
- The Georgia Ghost roster is scheduled to compete in 10 regular season matches following the league draft on July 27, 2024.