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 the esports division of Saudi club Al Nassr partnering with Italian esports organisation Mkers.
As part of the deal, Al Nassr has signed Portuguese EA FC player João Afonso ‘Jafonso’ Vasconcelos in preparation for entering competitions in the game. Jafonso was crowned world champion in 2024 and made his first appearance for Al Nassr on 25 November at the FC PRO qualifier in London.
Guido Fienga, CEO of Al Nassr, commented: “It is an important step to continue the development of Al Nassr in a new field of play that is very popular with our fans. Excellence and innovation are at the heart of our strategy and with Mkers and Jafonso we aspire to be a winning team in major international competitions right away.”
Mkers will manage the team’s technical and competitive management, as well as bring a wealth of knowledge from its commercial and strategic experience, such as a marketing tool to maximise the impact of the esports division.
Luca Beccaceci, CEO of Mkers, said: “Being chosen by a club like Al Nassr to build an Esports division together is both an honour and a responsibility. This partnership goes beyond mere collaboration; it embodies a shared vision to redefine the competitive gaming industry. We will work together to consolidate this project and establish it as a global benchmark.”
Beyond making links between Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Jafonso, this move builds on the recent work of Saudi Arabia in becoming a central hub for esports.
This year the esports sector in Saudi Arabia has seen investments over $500m. The most notable initiative was the inaugural Esports World Cup. This event caught the attention of the world through its £47m total prize pool across all competitions – the largest the industry has ever seen.
DUX Gaming teams up with Nvidia and GIGABYTE on AI-supported content
DUX Gaming has partnered with Nvidia and GIGABYTE to integrate AI into esports projects, focusing on AI-supported content creation and production.
GIGABYTE will provide the necessary hardware, while Nvidia’s AI technology will be integrated into DUX’s creative workflows, aiming to unlock new possibilities for innovation and deeper connections with its audience.
The first initiative to come from this collaboration will be a video series called “Accelerated Creativity.” The series, which DUX will share across its platforms, will highlight how the organisation is already incorporating AI into its processes, with the videos featuring GIGABYTE-built laptops powered by Nvidia technology.
Juan Carlos Gonzalez, Senior PR Manager at Nvidia, said: “ It is a pleasure to collaborate with DUX and Gigabyte on this project to show users how Artificial Intelligence is capable of accelerating productivity when creating content and how these new tools allow them to work with greater efficiency, agility and better results. DUX is a benchmark club in sports innovation and also in content creation. ”
AI is being increasingly adopted by sports organisations globally to enhance content. For example, in October, German football club Borussia Dortmund revealed a multi-year partnership with AI-driven content platform WSC Sports, aimed at boosting fan engagement.
PUBG MOBILE to release themed luggage with American Tourister
PUBG MOBILE has teamed up with luggage brand American Tourister for a partnership that will include both in-game activations and real-world product offerings.
Kicking off on 4 December, the partnership between PUBG MOBILE and American Tourister will launch a limited-edition, PUBG MOBILE-themed luggage collection, inspired by American Tourister’s ROLLIO range.
The collection will feature a backpack and a cabin suitcase, available in the second quarter of 2025 across Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Egypt.
In addition to the physical products, the brands will also offer in-game items for PUBG MOBILE players, although further details have not yet been disclosed.
Vincent Wang, Head of PUBG MOBILE Publishing at Tencent Games, remarked: “American Tourister is an iconic brand known for creating stylish and durable luggage that resonates with young and adventurous travellers.
“Partnering with them allows us to bring this same spirit into PUBG MOBILE through both in-game content and real-world products, which we know our players will be excited about.”
Las Vegas hosts $60k Excel esports showdown
The Microsoft Excel World Championship 2024 will take place on 3rd-4th December at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas.
Microsoft Excel, a key tool in office environments worldwide, is a spreadsheet software that has been part of the Microsoft Office suite since its release in 1987. It is used by millions of people every day for various tasks.
The Microsoft Excel World Championship is a unique esports competition where players showcase their skills in using Microsoft Excel to solve complex challenges. Competitors from around the world will demonstrate their speed and proficiency in tasks like financial modelling, data analysis and strategic problem-solving, all while working with large data sets.
A total of 40 finalists, who have progressed through 10 qualification rounds and online playoffs, will compete for a total prize pool of $60,000 across the two-day event. Contestants are required to solve challenges and score points depending on the complexity of the task.
Though the competition is perhaps one of the most peculiar esports events, it has built up a large portfolio of partners and sponsors. These include ESPN, Logitech, AG Capital and Sigma.
