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 including The Esports World Cup, a major multi-title esports tournament run by the Esports World Cup Foundation, introducing a new mobile app.
Esports World Cup launches app amid rising popularity
The Esports World Cup, a major multi-title esports tournament run by the Esports World Cup Foundation, has introduced a new mobile app.
The app lets fans view live scores and stream ongoing events in Saudi Arabia, aiming to boost engagement and provide an excellent experience for both attendees and remote viewers.
Starting in July, the inaugural Esports World Cup spans eight weeks and has attracted major brands with its record-setting £46.9m prize pool. As the event progresses, the Esports World Cup is seeing rising popularity. The League of Legends tournament hit a peak of one million viewers, while the Overwatch 2 event reached 100,000 peak viewers.
There are still some big titles yet to feature such as Apex Legends, Fortnite, Street Fighter 6, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which the app aims to enhance further.
Thamer Alshuaibi, Chief Admin Officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation, spoke on the launch of the app: “The Esports World Cup has been an unparalleled success, with the best clubs featuring the best players producing matches in elite, must-watch tournaments that have captivated gamers across the globe.
“The app has instantly become everyone on the ground’s go-to for every little bit of EWC news, and I know that will be the same for so many other like-minded gamers everywhere in the world.”
BLAST Premier partners with KICK for 2024 season streaming
BLAST Premier, the Counter-Strike esports circuit, has signed a non-exclusive partnership with the streaming platform KICK for the remainder of its 2024 season.
Under the agreement, the BLAST Premier Fall Season and the World Final will be available on BLAST Premier’s official KICK channel, with the deal aiming to bolster its accessibility with the circuit available in over 150 territories as well as 28 languages.
KICK, a rapidly growing streaming platform launched in 2022, has already made significant deals with prominent streamers like Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel and Adin Ross. However, it has only just turned its intentions to the world of esports.
In November 2023, KICK partnered with the Australian football club Melbourne Victory for an esports collaboration. Additionally, the platform streamed Counter-Strike 2’s inaugural Major event, PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, earlier this year.
Akhil Sarin, Chief Marketing Officer at KICK, commented: “KICK is thrilled to partner with BLAST to bring world-class esports entertainment onto the platform.
“Collaborating with an organisation like BLAST, which is dedicated to shaping the future of esports and gaming lifestyle events worldwide, aligns with our strategy of building a strong esports offering on KICK. We’re excited to deliver seamless, platform ad-free viewing experiences for fans around the globe, further grow our relationship with BLAST and see what’s possible.”
Naz Aletaha announces departure from Riot Games after 12 years
Naz Aletaha, the Global Head of League of Legends Esports at Riot Games, has announced she is leaving the company.
Planning to stay on for the next few months, Naz Aletaha revealed the news of her departure from Riot Games on social media. She has been on a sabbatical from the company since February.
Chris Greeley, Riot Games’ Global Head of Strategy for League of Legends Esports, stepped in to lead the division during Naz Aletaha’s sabbatical and will continue to head the team for the foreseeable future.
After departing from Activision in 2012, Aletaha began her journey at Riot Games as the Senior Manager of B2B Payments. Two years later, she transitioned into the esports division, taking on the role of Head of Global Esports Partnerships and Business Development, a position she held for over seven years. In 2021, she was elevated to the role of Global Head of League of Legends Esports.
In a post, Aletaha said: “It’s been an incredible 12.5-year run here at Riot Games, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished as a team. This decision wasn’t easy, but it’s the right time for me to explore new horizons. I’ll be taking the next few months to transition the team before leaving the company by the fall.
“Being part of this community – this movement to build competitive gaming into professional sport – has been the honour of a lifetime.”
Gaming giants join forces for GEF’s ambitious social impact plan
The Global Esports Federation (GEF) has launched a new initiative designed to unite the gaming community for social impact.
The Global Social Impact Initiative (GSII) will have the GEF collaborate with various partners to create a range of programmes and initiatives. These efforts are designed to promote social impact and support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Launched with backing from the GEF’s Global Impact Partners, the GSII has secured multi-million-dollar, multi-year commitments extending through 2030. Notable partners include PC hardware manufacturer Intel, Commonwealth Sport, and Infinite Reality, which owns Rogue and Carolina Royal Ravens, among others.
Focusing on digital transformation, education, environmental sustainability, equality, diversity, inclusion, health and well-being, universal connectivity, and youth employment, GSII will implement targeted initiatives and calls-to-action.
Thanos Karagrounas, Chief Impact Officer at the GEF, stated: “The launch of the Global Social Impact Initiative is a pivotal moment for the Global Esports Federation and the entire #worldconnected community.
“By harnessing the power and reach of gaming and esports, we aim to create lasting, positive change across various spheres of society. Our Global Impact Partners play a crucial role in this mission, and their commitment underscores the potential of collective action in driving progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
