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 the tournament organiser PGL agreeing a multi-year deal that will see Odin.gg remain as the exclusive provider of data and integrity services for several of its events.
Odin.gg extends PGL deal to enhance esports experiences
Tournament organiser PGL has agreed a multi-year deal that will see Odin.gg remain as the exclusive provider of data and integrity services for several of its events.
Under the terms of the new deal, Odin.gg has reinforced its position as the organisers exclusive provider of data and integrity services for PGL’s Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 events, including a minimum of eight Dota 2 headline events along with a minimum of eleven Tier 1 Counter-Strike 2 tournaments.
Silviu Stroie, CEO of PGL, stated: “At PGL, our core mission is to craft the ultimate esports experience on a global scale. Independence, innovation, and integrity are the pillars we stand on, promoting fairness and sustainability within the esports world. In Oddin.gg, we’ve found an ally that resonates with our ethos, making them the ideal partner as we forge ahead.
Covering from 2024 to 2026, the partnership renewal comes at a significant time as PGL looks to expand its annual event roster. In addition, there will be new regulations starting 1 January 2025, which mandate the separation of tournament organisers from teams to create a more competitive and varied landscape for Counter-Strike 2 tournaments.
Marek Suchar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Partnerships at Oddin.gg, said: “With the dynamic evolution expected in 2025, we are both excited and privileged to align with PGL’s visionary path for the esports community to support, protect and entertain esports fans. This partnership is a strategic step towards enhancing the global esports experience, and we eagerly anticipate the ground-breaking advancements PGL will introduce for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 in the years ahead.”
Team Vitality leverages Abios’ tech to drive fan engagement
Team Vitality has partnered with Abios, an esports data and technology provider, to improve the club’s fan engagement application V.Hive with esports data.
The long-term deal will look to enhance the Paris-based club’s fan engagement efforts through Abios’ data, with a special focus on the club’s app to fuel its prediction tool, which allows fans to score points by successfully predicting how Team Vitality will perform in upcoming matches.
Amélie Canet, Director of Brand and Revenue Diversification at Team Vitality, said: “Through Abios’ interfaces, we are able to provide our fans an immersive experience that goes beyond just watching matches.
“Together, we’re creating an environment where fans can interact, predict outcomes and feel even closer to the esports action. Their tech overlay allows us to engage our fans and offer them a more entertaining experience.”
The prediction tool will involve users’ scores being posted to a leaderboard, competing with one another to win prizes, including merchandise and money-can’t-buy experiences with professional players.
As part of a wider initiative to drive fan engagement, the predictor tool will accompany team news, mini-games and custom avatars, which have been featured on the V.Hive app since its launch in November 2022, aiming to build a digital community.
Oskar Bonnevier Fröberg, CEO and Founder of Abios, commented: “Team Vitality is one of the oldest and most prestigious esports teams in Europe, and we’re proud to be able to supply them with top-tier esports data.
“With high-performing rosters across many esports disciplines, Team Vitality has millions of fans all over the world. It is fantastic to see their dedication to their fans and how they bring added value to their followers, and we are excited to power Team Vitality with our extensive data and help them to deliver the next generation of esports fan experiences.”
ESIC creates advisory board of ESL and BLAST executives
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has launched an advisory board to help emphasise integrity and ethical practices in the industry.
Made up from a mixture of ESL and BLAST executives, ESIC has appointed David Neichel, SVP of Public and International Affairs at ESL FACEIT Group and Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST.
The board will be tasked with providing advice to ESIC CEO Stephen Hanna on industry issues, which includes creating an integrity and fairness framework, setting benchmarks for fair competition in esports, offering strategic insights and liaising with industry stakeholders.
Although there has been no definitive number revealed on how many members will be appointed to the advisory board, the commission has noted that the board will meet to discuss ESIC’s initiatives and address ‘strategic challenges’.
Hanna said: “Both David and Robbie bring a remarkable depth of knowledge and a passion for advancing the integrity of esports.
“Their expertise will be crucial as we navigate the evolving landscape of esports and strive to maintain the integrity that our industry expects and deserves.”
FTC orders Razer to pay $1.1m in refunds over certification allegation
Hardware brand Razer is set to pay more than $1m in refunds and $100,000 in civil penalties due to ‘falsely claiming’ that its line of face masks, called Zephyr, are N95-rated.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a settlement which, if agreed upon, will see the money paid used to refund customers who bought the masks, after the FTC found that the masks were never subject to testing and therefore awarded no certification.
The masks in question, the Razer Zephyr face masks, were released in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Featuring RGB lighting, the masks received a lot of attention and were sold as bundles with filters or separate products.
At the time, Razer claimed that the masks were N95-rated, meaning that the mask could filter up to 95% of harmful particles. However, companies must submit products to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to acquire an official N95 certification in the United States, which the FTC is alleging never happened.
In an announcement, Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, commented: “These businesses falsely claimed, in the midst of a global pandemic, that their face mask was the equivalent of an N95 certified respirator.
“The FTC will continue to hold accountable businesses that use false and unsubstantiated claims to target consumers who are making decisions about their health and safety.”
Reaching out to dispute these claims, Razer contacted Esports Insider.
Razer said: “We disagree with the FTC’s allegations and did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement. It was never our intention to mislead anyone, and we chose to settle this matter to avoid the distraction and disruption of litigation and continue our focus on creating great products for gamers.
“Razer cares deeply about our community and is always looking to deliver technology in new and relevant ways.
“The Razer Zephyr was conceived to offer a different and innovative face-covering option for the community. The FTC’s claims against Razer concerned limited portions of some of the statements relating to the Zephyr. More than two years ago, Razer proactively notified customers that the Zephyr was not an N95 mask, stopped sales and refunded customers.”
