The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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Federations Respond to World Esports Cup 2024 Safety Concerns
The International Esports Federation (IESF) and several national member federations have addressed public concerns regarding the safety of LGBTQ+ participants at the upcoming World Esports Cup 2024, scheduled for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The International Esports Federation (IESF) is preparing a comprehensive handbook to guide attendees on local laws and customs for the 2024 World Esports Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following public safety concerns.
- Esports Canada has publicly stated it cannot guarantee the safety of LGBTQ+ players at the event, advising that participation is at the discretion of individual athletes.
- The Israeli Esports Federation is currently negotiating with event organizers to establish specific security and hospitality conditions, citing the lack of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
United Spinal Association of Georgia Partners with Ghost Gaming
The United Spinal Association of Georgia has entered into a multiyear partnership with the Atlanta-based esports organization Ghost Gaming to launch an adaptive esports initiative titled Nerve Gaming.
- Ghost Gaming and the United Spinal Association of Georgia have entered a multiyear partnership to launch 'Nerve Gaming,' an adaptive esports program.
- The initiative is funded by a grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, though specific financial terms and the exact duration of the deal remain undisclosed.
- Nerve Gaming will support three competitive teams focused on Rocket League, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty Warzone.
NIP Group Signs Global Strategic Partnership With Chinese Automobile Brand BYD
NIP Group has entered into a global strategic partnership with the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD.
- NIP Group has signed a global strategic partnership with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD.
- The BYD logo will be featured on the left shoulder of NIP Group’s League of Legends Pro League (LPL) team jerseys.
- The sponsorship agreement excludes NIP Group's Western divisions, specifically its Counter-Strike 2 and Rainbow Six Siege teams.
Sony Group Named Founding Partner of Esports World Cup
Sony Group Corporation has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation, establishing itself as a founding partner of the inaugural Esports World Cup.
- Sony Group Corporation has entered a multi-year partnership as a founding partner of the Esports World Cup, an event organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Sony Interactive Entertainment will collaborate on the event by exploring opportunities to support regional creators and talent, while Sony Music Entertainment is tasked with producing the official anthem for the 2024 tournament.
- Sony will produce a behind-the-scenes documentary series focusing on the players, games, and fans participating in the inaugural 2024 Esports World Cup.
Women’s Spaces: Stereotypes Are Not Inclusive, Existence Is Not Progress
Dedicated spaces for women and marginalized genders within the esports industry currently suffer from a fundamental disconnect between their stated goals of safety and the reality of their exclusionary practices.
- Women’s spaces in esports are essential for safety, as many non-men face systemic harassment, stalking, and bullying in co-ed competitive environments.
- Many existing women’s gaming spaces fail to be truly inclusive by enforcing narrow, stereotypical definitions of femininity, such as prioritizing specific aesthetics, body types, and heteronormative expressions.
- Advocacy groups in gaming often prioritize 'optics' and brand safety over genuine activism, remaining silent when issues affect individuals who do not conform to traditional gender norms.
New Sponsorship Categories Being Considered for LoL Esports Teams
Riot Games is expanding sponsorship opportunities for tier-1 League of Legends esports organizations to improve the financial sustainability of teams within its global ecosystem.
- Riot Games is expanding sponsorship categories for League of Legends esports teams to improve long-term financial sustainability and address requests from team owners.
- New sponsorship categories under consideration include beer and wine products, CBD, and government-related entities, such as armed forces or national sporting authorities.
- The implementation of these new categories is subject to regional legal restrictions and local market acceptance, with some categories already permitted in specific regions.
Riot Expands League of Legends Esports Revenue Sharing
Riot Games has announced a significant restructuring of its business model for professional League of Legends esports, aimed at enhancing long-term financial sustainability for teams.
- Riot Games is transitioning to a new revenue-sharing model for Tier 1 League of Legends teams in the LCS, LEC, and LCK, with ongoing discussions to evolve the model for the LPL.
- The new model introduces a Global Revenue Pool (GRP) funded by digital in-game content, which replaces the previous system that limited revenue participation to only the 30 teams competing in international events.
- The GRP is distributed across three buckets: 50% for General Shares (allocated to all Tier 1 teams), 35% for Competitive Shares (based on regional and international performance), and 15% for Fandom Shares (rewarding brand and player engagement).
John Robinson Leaves 100 Thieves
John Robinson, the longtime president and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles-based esports organization 100 Thieves, announced his departure from the company in March 2024.
- John Robinson has stepped down from his roles as President and COO of 100 Thieves after more than six years with the organization.
- Robinson will transition into an advisory role at 100 Thieves following his departure from executive leadership.
- During his tenure, Robinson was instrumental in securing early funding and overseeing business ventures, including the development and eventual sale of the energy drink brand Juvee to Sprecher Brewing Company in January 2024.
Hisense Group Sponsors China's King Pro League
The Chinese multinational electronics manufacturer Hisense Group has officially entered the esports sponsorship market by partnering with the King Pro League (KPL), the premier professional competition for the mobile title Honor of Kings.
- Hisense Group has entered the esports sector for the first time by signing a sponsorship deal with China’s King Pro League (KPL).
- The financial terms of the partnership between Hisense and the King Pro League were not disclosed.
- Hisense joins an existing roster of KPL partners that includes PUMA, Snapdragon, Shanghai Volkswagen, Clear, Meituan, Snow Beer, and Castrol.
IESF Reveals $1M Prize Pool for 2024 World Esports Championship
The International Esports Federation (IESF) has announced a $1 million USD total prize pool for the 2024 World Esports Championship, marking the largest financial commitment in the tournament's history.
- The International Esports Federation (IESF) has announced a $1 million total prize pool for the 2024 World Esports Championship, marking the largest prize fund in the tournament's history.
- The 2024 World Esports Championship is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 11 to November 16.
- The prize pool represents a tenfold increase since the 2021 edition of the tournament, reflecting a trend of steady growth in funding.
Rocket League Joins the Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup Foundation has confirmed that the action racing title Rocket League will be a featured competition at the 2024 Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Rocket League will be a featured title at the 2024 Esports World Cup, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this July.
- The tournament is facilitated by the ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), a subsidiary of the Savvy Games Group, which is funded by the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund.
- Tournament organizer BLAST is managing the competition as part of a multi-year deal with Epic Games to operate esports for both Rocket League and Fortnite.
Riot Games Sued Over FTX Partnership With LCS
A class-action lawsuit filed in a California federal court alleges that Riot Games and its League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) are complicit in promoting fraud through a former partnership with the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
- Riot Games and the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) are facing a class-action lawsuit filed on March 7, 2024, alleging they aided and abetted fraud through their partnership with the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
- The lawsuit claims Riot Games and the LCS violated securities fraud laws, engaged in civil conspiracy, and violated unfair competition statutes by promoting FTX’s unregistered securities and yield-bearing accounts.
- Plaintiffs argue that Riot Games is liable for damages because their mass promotion of FTX via internet and social media platforms facilitated the sale of fraudulent investments to a global audience.