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 within the sector, including Esports organisation Team Vitality launching an initiative to combat toxicity towards women and promote diversity, with support from Supermarket chain ALDI.
At the heart of this social initiative is a video, in which Team Vitality players and other people explain their own experiences with misogyny in gaming. In the video, the players take turns reading hateful messages, which include themes of body shaming and threats of violence.
The video also shows them reading kind messages to show how this can spread positivity and boost morale, therefore improving their mental health and in-game performance.
In an announcement, the esports organisation shared that while 50% of worldwide gamers are women, only 7% compete in esports. In addition to this, a 2022 Ipsos study showed that 84% of people harassed online are women, with 51% under the age of 30.
Team Vitality stated that it produces content following the Rising Bees’, its female team, journey throughout the year to break down stereotypes and create role models for gamers, which has also been a target for ALDI since the team’s inception in February 2023.
ALDI’s presence in esports has grown dramatically over recent years, with the supermarket sponsoring a plethora of entities in the sector. Earlier this year, ALDI teamed up with Shikenso Analytics to measure its sponsorship exposure in esports.
ESL FACEIT Group reveals £16.8m Counter-Strike investment
Esports tournament organiser ESL FACEIT Group has announced it will contribute upwards of £16.8m to its Counter-Strike ecosystem throughout the next two years.
Teams participating in the ESL Pro Tour circuit will see the majority of the funds, with ESL FACEIT Group stating that £8.4m will go to teams and players in addition to its existing spend on flights, accommodation and practice setups for events taking place globally.
Additionally, the funds will also be used for its Intel Grand Slam incentive’s prize money, a £766,895 incentive awarded to the team that manages to win three ESL Pro Tour Masters events and one Championship tournament
Marc Winther, Director of Game Ecosystems – Counter-Strike at ESL FACEIT Group, commented: “The EPT for Counter-Strike 2 is the definition of EFG’s commitment to fostering a fruitful competitive environment and continually nourishing Counter-Strike’s heritage.
“With a circuit that spans multiple continents and integrates diverse levels of competition, we are excited to further fuel opportunities for world-class teams and passionate fans alike.”
Sony’s INZONE supplies Cloud9 with monitors in new role of sponsor
North American esports organisation Cloud9 has revealed a partnership with INZONE, the gaming gear brand of technology company Sony.
As part of the agreement, INZONE will provide the organisation’s Call of Duty League (CDL) franchise Cloud9 New York with its range of monitors. Additionally, the brand will host a £7,702 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 tournament and Cloud9 will broadcast the tournament through its Twitch channel and Club9, the organisation’s fan loyalty programme.
Through this deal, Sony will become a sponsor of Club9 as it hopes to engage with fans of the organisation. One way in which it will do this is by giving fans a chance to enter raffles to win Sony INZONE monitors used by the Cloud9 New York CDL team.
Jack Etienne, CEO and Co-Founder of Cloud9, stated: “We’re constantly looking for ways to help our players improve, and partnering with Sony and utilising their INZONE monitors is a big step toward ensuring our team competes at the highest level.
“Sony’s technology gives us a critical edge, allowing our players to push their limits and reach their full potential.”
Kazuteru Makiyama, VP of Personal Entertainment at Sony Electronics North America, remarked: “We’re thrilled to expand our collaboration with Cloud9 through the Club9 loyalty program and our new monitor sponsorship. With our INZONE monitors, we’re confident Cloud9 New York will continue to push the limits of esports competition, and we can’t wait for fans to experience the future of gaming.”
Malaysia outlines £3.58m esports boost in 2025 budget
The Malaysian government has announced plans to invest £3.58m in the development of the country’s esports industry.
This news comes as part of the country’s 2025 budget, which was revealed in a speech by Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In total, £41.1m will be allocated from the Malaysia Madani Budget 2025 for the development of sports, which includes esports. The country’s athletes are expected to receive more in terms of support than before, according to information from Malaysian national news agency Bernama.
In terms of esports, the money will be used to expand the country’s domestic scene, including the development of infrastructure, talent development, the grassroots ecosystem and support of esports careers.
It is believed that the esports budget is also expected to support coaches, desk hosts and other staff in esports. Additionally, a national esports centre will be established in the future, allowing players and teams to organise boot camps and events as well as access production facilities.
