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 BLAST naming the global financial technology company Revolut as the presenting partner for the BLAST Premier Spring Final.
BLAST welcomes Revolut for esports debut ahead of Spring Final
BLAST has named the global financial technology company Revolut as the presenting partner for the BLAST Premier Spring Final.
As part of the agreement, BLAST has welcomed Revolut as the official finance and payments partner of the BLAST Premier Spring Final, set to take place at London’s OVO Arena Wembley from 12-16 June.
The fintech will feature heavily across the event, with digital broadcast integrations across BLAST.tv, Twitch and YouTube, as well as dedicated Revolut broadcast segments, physical branding and activations featuring at the arena.
Online fans can expect an economy-focused broadcast segment, along with a giveaway featuring prizes. Furthermore, a dedicated Revolut booth will be located on-site, enabling fans to access exclusive discounts for Revolut customers. They will also have access to exclusive perks such as a queue skip for meet-and-greets with professional esports players.
The BLAST Premier Spring Final will feature eight of Counter-Strike’s best teams competing for a total prize pool of $425,000. The winning team will qualify for the BLAST Premier World Final later this year.
Deborah Wajsbrot, Head of Growth for Strategic Partnerships & Sponsorships at Revolut, said: “We’re delighted to be able to unveil Revolut’s marketing partnership with BLAST – our first in esports. BLAST is a world-class esports tournament and an iconic event for the gaming community.”
Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue at BLAST, commented: “We’re thrilled to mark the historic return of CS arena events to the UK with a groundbreaking presenting partnership.”
“Revolut has been at the forefront of digital banking and financial innovation for nearly a decade, and shares BLAST’s dedication to creating fantastic experiences for fans and customers.
Ruud Gullit appointed as Ambassador for 2024 eChampions League
EA SPORTS FC Pro, the esports programme affiliated with EA SPORTS FC, has appointed Dutch football icon Ruud Gullit as an Ambassador for the eChampions League 2024.
Under his new role, Gullit will present the eChampions League trophy to the league’s winner during the finals at Magazine London on 29 May.
The eChampions League is an EA SPORTS FC circuit inspired by the UEFA Champions League. Initially launched in 2018, the current league features 48 European players representing different football clubs.
The 2024 Finals will span three days, preceding the original UEFA Champions League final, and boast a $280,000 prize pool. According to Esports Charts, last year’s Finals garnered a peak viewership of 49,587.
During his football career in the 1980s and 1990s, Gullit represented several clubs, notably securing two European Cups with AC Milan and earning the prestigious 1987 Ballon d’Or award.
Following his retirement, Gullit has demonstrated a keen interest in the esports aspect of football. In 2018, the former athlete established his own EA SPORTS FC academy, Team Gullit.
Gullit commented on his new ambassador role: “London is a second home for me, and I’m looking forward to returning to the city for another epic eChampions League Final.
“The intensity of the competition last year was unmatched as the best of the best battled for supremacy on the virtual pitch. You definitely don’t want to miss this year’s tournament.”
30 organisations join the Esports World Cup Club Support Programme
30 organisations worldwide have enlisted in the Esports World Cup Foundation Club Support Programme, an initiative that provides financial backing to teams in preparation for the Esports World Cup.
The Club Support programme was unveiled in February 2024 as a means for the EWC Foundation to provide annual financial support to esports teams.
Selected organisations are eligible for an annual ‘six-figure’ funding round, although specifics regarding fund allocation were not disclosed by the EWC Foundation. The funds are intended to be used by organisations for enhancing infrastructure, venturing into new esports titles, content creation, among other aspects.
Participation in the programme does not guarantee automatic involvement in the Esports World Cup, according to the organisers.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, commented on the programme: “The Club Support Programme is critical to the EWC Foundation’s vision of building a stronger esports ecosystem and elevating esports as global sports.
“Because we received so many high-quality applications, we expanded our original allocation of 28 Club Support Programme slots to 30, a testament to the strength of our programme as it supports some of the world’s best esports Clubs.
“I’m excited to cheer on these Clubs as they work to qualify for the Esports World Cup and its life-changing prize pool of more than $60m.”
Ninjas in Pyjamas launch app to accommodate to diverse following
Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP), an esports organisation, has revealed a new fan engagement platform in collaboration with its blockchain partners.
The app, named The Dojo, was created in collaboration with blockchain firms XBorg and Zilliqa. It will include various features, including exclusive rewards and offers tailored for fans.
The newly launched fan engagement app and platform offer users various benefits. These include loyalty rewards, chances to interact with other fans and NIP players, as well as engaging in challenges, quests and other in-app events.
Many esports organisations are prioritising fan engagement as a crucial aspect of their operations. For instance, esports club Team Vitality has collaborated with Abios, an esports data and technology provider, to enhance the club’s fan engagement application V.Hive with esports data.
Hicham Chahine, Founder and Co-CEO of NIP Group, said: “Our fanbase keeps growing. With the addition of new titles, it’s much more diverse than it was just a few years ago. We’ve been looking at how we could bring our loyal Ninjas together in a fun and immersive way, but still flexible enough to keep up with the evolving pace of esports.”
