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, Manchester United extending its partnership with Konami, the club’s official video game partner.
Manchester United extends Konami deal with eFootball rewards
Manchester United has renewed its partnership with Konami, its official video game partner since 2019.
The extended agreement continues the collaboration that began in 2019, allowing Konami to maintain various commercial rights. These include access to players, media opportunities, and the use of official club branding, imagery, and recreations in the eFootball series.
The eFootball series is a set of football simulation video games developed and published by Konami. It represents a rebranding of the former Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series.
Naoki Morita, Konami Digital Entertainment B.V.’s European President, commented: “It is very exciting to be announcing an extension to such a successful partnership. Manchester United are truly one of the giants of world football, we are proud to have them as part of the eFootball series now and for the next few years thanks to this renewal.
“To have secured a bright future that will include a multitude of commercial rights and activations is fantastic for Konami and for the eFootball series. We endeavour to keep evolving our product to bring the best user experience possible.”
To mark the extension of its partnership with Manchester United, Konami is offering one fan the chance to win two tickets to every league and domestic cup men’s home match at Old Trafford for the 2024/25 season.
Additionally, to celebrate the renewal in eFootball, Konami will launch an in-game campaign from 15-29 August. This campaign includes a free ‘Highlight: Bruno Fernandes’ card, the chance to earn a legendary ‘Epic: Paul Scholes’ card through 50 lottery spins and participation in a Manchester United-themed Challenge Event.
Florence Lafaye, Commercial Director at Manchester United, said: “We are delighted that Konami will continue as a key member of our family of partners and we are excited about the opportunities our involvement with the eFootball series brings.
“Our long-standing partnership has enabled the club to engage meaningfully with new and younger audiences as well as showcase the Manchester United brand in the digital entertainment world, an important sector for us as we look to the future.”
Bayes Esports eyes up expansion with Genius Sports deal
Bayes Esports has partnered with Genius Sports as it looks to fuel its global expansion.
As part of the agreement, Bayes will provide Genius with live match data and an esports data product suite, while select Genius Sports’ products will be available via Bayes Esports’ distribution in return.
Aiming to redefine the esports data product landscape, Bayes Esports will leverage its plug and play product suite, which it says is continuously expanding as new opportunities arise.
Matt Stephenson, Global Partnerships Director at Genius Sports, said: “For any sportsbook, having access to fast, accurate and official data is critically important to offering first-class betting experiences to their customers.
“We’re excited to partner with Bayes Esports to enhance our esports offering and meet the constantly growing demand amongst sports bettors worldwide.”
Given Genius Sports’ experience and reputation in a range of markets globally, including the exclusive NFL and Premier League content, Bayes Esports hopes that this partnership will boost its global expansion.
Amir Mirzaee, CEO and Managing Director of Bayes Esports, commented: “As one of the leading sports data companies in the world, we are incredibly excited to be selected to supercharge Genius Sports’ esports endeavours.
“This partnership is set to redefine the market and set a new standard for esports solutions. We have worked closely with the Genius Sports team on a concept that will take esports data products mainstream all around the world.”
Parma Calcio partners with Reply Totem to increase esports engagement
Serie A side Parma Calcio 1913 has partnered with Italian esports organisation Reply Totem.
As per the agreement, Parma will collaborate with Reply Totem on influencer marketing and social media strategies, aiming to attract more people towards the football club’s esports division.
The Italian club has a longstanding presence in the world of esports and was one of the first sides to invest in the sport. The club launched its esports section in 2018 and has competed in the football game FIFA (EAFC).
According to Parma’s Digital Marketing Director Lorenzo Galletti, the club has “the largest esports community in Italy” and is looking to further expand and capitalise on its popularity both nationally and internationally.
In addition to helping the club expand its esports section and generate more attention, the two parties will work on women-focused esports activations, seeking to expand Parma’s roster of teams and esports games they participate in.
Maria Rita Labrocca, Social Media and Esports Specialist at Parma Calcio 1913, commented: “Parma Esports and Reply Totem confirm the commitment to invest in young talents and in the female sector, expanding the horizons of traditional esports, also thanks to the involvement of video game titles different from the classic sports simulators.”
DHL commends support in extended ESL FACEIT Group deal
Tournament organiser ESL FACEIT Group has extended its partnership with logistics company DHL.
Under the multi-year extension, DHL will remain the official logistics partner of various ESL FACEIT Group-ran esports events, integrating across ESL broadcasts by sponsoring its MVP award initiative.
Additionally, DHL looks to expand its involvement with the Snapdragon Pro Series, a multi-title mobile esports circuit, and will also support ‘multiple DreamHack gaming festivals’ taking place across the world.
As well as supporting competitions, DHL will continue to manage the transport of staging and broadcasting technologies required to host events across multiple titles.
This year marks the pair’s sixth consecutive year as partners after agreeing on a deal in 2018, with the most recent expansion of the deal taking place in 2021 to include Counter-Strike and Dota 2 tournaments.
Rodrigo Samwell, Chief Commercial Officer at ESL FACEIT Group, stated: “Through its partnership with EFG, DHL has become a brand that inspires gaming fans like none other.
“We see thousands of fans chanting ‘DHL’ at our live events, and the love the esports community shows to DHL is nothing short of extraordinary. That support is a testament to the fact that EFG’s and DHL’s joint long-term strategy resonates with the most important people: our fans.”
