The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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Disney to Invest $1.5B in Epic Games
The Walt Disney Company has announced a strategic $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games to acquire an equity stake in the developer.
- The Walt Disney Company is investing $1.5 billion in Epic Games to acquire an equity stake in the developer.
- The partnership involves a multiyear project to build a persistent, open, and interoperable gaming and entertainment universe integrated with Fortnite.
- The new ecosystem will utilize Epic’s Unreal Engine to allow users to play, watch, shop, and engage with content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar.
Inside the Esports World Cup Club Program
The Esports World Cup Foundation has introduced a financial incentive program designed to encourage global esports organizations to participate in its multi-week tournament series held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The Esports World Cup Foundation has allocated up to $16.8 million for its 2024 Club Program, offering selected organizations up to $600,000 each based on performance milestones and multi-title participation.
- The program aims to incentivize organizations to field rosters in multiple esports titles, with additional, unverified reports suggesting one-time cash injections of $100,000 to $300,000 to help teams enter new competitive disciplines.
- Selection for the program involves a multi-stage process including an initial application, a shortlist, and a live pitch phase to determine the final six organizations.
Chipotle Returns as Evo 2024 Presenting Partner
The Evolution Championship Series (Evo) has confirmed the return of Chipotle as the presenting partner for its 2024 event.
- Chipotle will return as the presenting partner for the Evolution Championship Series (Evo) 2024, continuing its branding and activation presence at the event.
- Evo 2024 is scheduled to take place from July 19-21 at the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
- The tournament lineup features eight titles: Street Fighter 6, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, TEKKEN 8, Mortal Kombat 1, Guilty Gear -Strive-, THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV, Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising, and Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes.
Team Liquid Partners With Shikenso Analytics
Team Liquid has entered into a strategic partnership with Shikenso Analytics, a Germany-based firm specializing in marketing and sponsorship data solutions for the gaming and esports sectors.
- Team Liquid has entered a strategic partnership with the German marketing analytics firm Shikenso Analytics to optimize its sponsorship and partnership strategies.
- The organization will utilize Shikenso’s AI-driven data tools to monitor performance metrics across its various social and streaming channels.
- Team Liquid intends to integrate Shikenso’s analytics into its internal processes, ranging from initial partnership pitches to final campaign reporting.
2024 PUBG Mobile Global Open: Brazil
The 2024 PUBG Mobile Global Open (PMGO) represents the inaugural international competition of the 2024 season for the PUBG Mobile esports circuit.
- Krafton will host the 2024 PUBG Mobile Global Open (PMGO) in São Paulo, Brazil, featuring a total prize pool of $500,000 USD.
- The tournament’s main in-person event is scheduled to take place from April 5–7, 2024.
- The competition follows a multi-stage format beginning with open online qualifiers from March 4–10, followed by an offline qualifier in Brazil from March 28–30.
MLS, EA Detail eMLS 2024 Season
Major League Soccer and EA Sports have finalized the structure and competitive calendar for the 2024 eMLS season.
- The 2024 eMLS season will exclusively utilize EA Sports FC 24 as its competitive platform, marking a transition from the previous FIFA series.
- The 2024 tournament structure features two League Series events in February and March, each with a $20,000 prize pool, culminating in the eMLS Cup on March 10 in Austin, Texas.
- The eMLS Cup offers a $35,000 total prize pool and provides the top two finishers with direct qualification bids to the FC Pro World Championship.
Trident Gaming Launches in India
Trident Gaming, a new esports and gaming solutions company, has officially launched in Pune, India.
- Former professional esports player Abhijeet “Ghatak” Andhare and industry veteran Sunny “Fea” Lohia have launched a self-funded esports and gaming solutions company, Trident Gaming, based in Pune, India.
- Trident Gaming focuses on talent development, community-driven initiatives, player contract management, and connecting brands with Indian esports organizations.
- The company is currently in discussions with educational institutions to help integrate esports programs and clubs into their curricula.
FaZe Fridays Will Continue in 2024
FaZe Clan has confirmed the continuation of its weekly gaming competition series, FaZe Fridays, throughout 2024.
- FaZe Clan will continue its weekly 'FaZe Fridays' competition series throughout 2024, with plans to award over $1 million in total cash prizes.
- The series features weekly prize pools of $25,000, funded by corporate partners and sponsors.
- The decision to extend the series follows strong performance in the initial four events, which generated over 82 million minutes watched and 20 million social media impressions.
Jonas Gundersen Leaves NIP Group
Jonas Gundersen, the Chief Operating Officer of Western Operations for NIP Group, announced his departure from the organization in February 2024.
- Jonas Gundersen has stepped down as Chief Operating Officer of NIP Group after more than four years with the organization.
- Erik Wendel, currently the Director of Esports at NIP Group, will assume the responsibilities previously held by Gundersen.
- Since Gundersen joined in 2020, NIP Group expanded from 10 employees and two teams to over 300 employees and 16 teams across five global offices.
Uber Eats Named Food Delivery Partner of LEC
Riot Games has officially designated Uber Eats as the food delivery partner for the 2024 League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) season.
- Uber Eats has been named the official food delivery partner of the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) for the 2024 season.
- The partnership includes in-game branding within the Rift, physical branding at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin, and sponsorship of the 'Match of the Week' segment.
- Uber Eats will be featured on LEC broadcasts during countdowns and will host in-person pop-ups, digital activations, and fan giveaways throughout the season.
Unpaid Payments: The HER Galaxy Apex Legends Open Situation
The HER Galaxy Apex Legends Open, a North American tournament designed to highlight female talent in competitive gaming, has faced significant financial controversy due to delayed prize pool distributions.
- Dubai-based esports organization Galaxy Racer (GXR) has failed to pay winners of the $100K HER Galaxy Apex Legends Open, despite the tournament concluding over seven months ago.
- GXR owes approximately $40,000 to LeagueSpot, the tournament platform provider that managed the event's production, gender verification, and competition logistics.
- Galaxy Racer missed the contractually obligated 180-day payout deadline, which would have required disbursements by late December 2023.
PAGODA Snacks Named Official Egg Roll of LCS
Riot Games has entered into a multi-year partnership with Schwan’s Company, naming PAGODA Snacks the official egg roll of the League Championship Series (LCS) in North America.
- Riot Games has named PAGODA Snacks the official egg roll of the League Championship Series (LCS) in North America through 2026.
- The partnership includes brand integration into LCS broadcasts, specifically through a 'Let Him Cook' segment highlighting top player moments and a 'Put the Egg Rolls In' tech pause feature.
- PAGODA Snacks will collaborate with the LCS on fan-facing activations, product drops, and giveaways throughout the 2024 season.