From sponsorships to industry-wide announcements, Insider Sport has you covered when it comes to the world of esports.
This week’s edition highlights the latest developments in the esports sector, including esports cryptocurrency betting platform, Thunderpick unveiling a worldwide Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournament with a $1m prize pool.
Thunderpick reveals $1m Counter-Strike 2 tournament
Thunderpick, an esports cryptocurrency betting platform, has unveiled a worldwide Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournament with a $1m prize pool.
This will be the company’s second iteration of the tournament, beginning on 1 April, culminating in the World Finals in late October.
According to Esports Charts, the 2023 Thunderpick World Championship attracted a peak of 144,317 viewers. Despite its $600k prize pool being paid out in Bitcoin last year, the 2024 winners will receive their rewards in cash.
Kelly Sanders, Head of Strategy for Thunderpick, commented on the upcoming CS2 event: “The Thunderpick World Championship 2024 will be one of the most exciting tournaments of the year, featuring some of the top talent in the world of CS2.
“Expect intense competition and high-quality gameplay that will captivate fans and players around the world.”
BLAST R6 names seven partners ahead of São Paulo
In partnership with Ubisoft, BLAST has announced seven partners ahead of the Six Invitational 2024 (SI) event in São Paulo, Brazil.
LAST has welcomed seven partners ahead of the SI 2024 event, an annual competition where the world’s best Rainbow Six Siege teams compete for $3m in prize pool winnings along with the “most prestigious trophy” in Rainbow Six Siege.
The brands are:
- Intel
- Lenovo
- JBL
- Eureka Ergonomics
- Kingston Technology
- CTRL
- Aura
The brands named will be hoping to take advantage of the record number of viewers, following BLAST’s announcement that the event has seen a record number of ticket sales.
Lewin added: “Alongside Ubisoft, we are immensely proud to announce a record number of commercial partners for a Rainbow Six esports event as well as record ticket sales in what is shaping up to be an unforgettable event.”
Global creative agency XL STUDIO announces its official launch
XL STUDIO, a global creative agency founded by industry veterans Mark Carter from GIANTX and Jason Spiller from Arcanist, has announced its official launch.
The agency will specialise in creating a range of campaigns and activations for brands looking to embark on projects within the esports industry.
Jason Spiller, Studio Director of XL STUDIO, spoke on the launch: “With the foundations built by an incredibly talented and creative team, we’ve built XL STUDIO with the ambition of delivering versatile and engaging campaigns that put our clients’ projects in the spotlight.
“From social media experts to influencer managers, who have worked across the industry and with some of the biggest names imaginable, we’re excited to build and execute gaming and digital culture strategies and campaigns for brands around the globe.”
Esports Scotland receives renewed scrutiny for delayed payments
Esports Scotland, a Scottish events company, has faced renewed public scrutiny due to outstanding payments owed to contractors, players, and staff.
It has been reported that the debt totals £27k, which is mostly from Scottish Esports League Season 5, prompting renewed scrutiny on Esports Scotland. CEO James Hood has said that the company aims to clear all debts by June.
Jon Winkle, Managing Director at EPIC.LAN, criticised Esports Scotland on social media for not updating its records on Companies House after changing its address. Winkle later shared a debt document he compiled, showing Esports Scotland owes £26,233, mostly from SEL 5, with debts dating back to June 2022.
James Hood, the CEO and Founder of Esports Scotland, stated: “I sincerely apologise for the payment and prize pool issues with SEL5. I take full responsibility and am actively working to resolve them.
“I’m committed to rectifying the situation and fostering a positive esports community in Scotland. During 2023, I created an advisory board and took the time to really look inside myself and build a strategy for the future. I have made payments through consultancy and activations, and once other plans come to fruition, I will have the rest of the payments sorted.”
