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 esports organisation G2 raising a seven-figure sum in its Series B funding round.
The investment arm of the Wilf Family and WISE Ventures, who have become part of G2’s ownership group, led the funding round.
Several new investors also joined the round, including The Tornante Company (owned by former Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Company CEO), Gary Vaynerchuk, and G2’s own leadership team.
The esports organisation has announced plans to use the investment in several areas, such as to explore new titles, expand the organisation globally and for G2’s direct-to-fans offerings.
Additionally, the US-based organisation has highlighted wider investment into the Call of Duty League after G2 recently acquired full ownership of Version1’s Minnesota Rokkr’s slot in the league.
Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2, commented: “This successful investment round and the addition of our new investors showcases G2’s strength and value as an organisation.
“This year is our 10th anniversary, and looking back over the last decade, we’ve not only built a globally successful brand with teams that are consistently on top, but also we’ve built a valuable business that’s been profitable for multiple years. As we look ahead, we’re excited to keep building our legacy to become a next-generation sports organisation.”
Konrad von Moltke, Principal of WISE Ventures, stated: “Since getting to know G2’s management team in early 2023 we have continued to be impressed with their strategic vision, work ethic, operational excellence and communication. We are thrilled to be partnering with G2 on their next stage of growth.”
GRID looks to drive out unreliable data in Genius Sports deal
Data provider GRID Esports has partnered with Genius Sports to “set a new standard” for esports betting.
Under the agreement, Genius Sports will leverage the data company’s technology to improve its suite of betting products, including odds, live streaming, data visualisations, trader tools, and direct data feeds.
GRID’s advanced data extraction technology will be at the heart of the deal, as it aims to enable real-time, in-game data to be collected directly from game servers, seeking to eliminate reliance on unofficial sources.
Genius Sports will also benefit from the data provider’s significant list of partners, which includes two of the game developers in the industry, Riot Games and Ubisoft. This means that GRID has access to real-time data from titles, such as League of Legends Esports, VALORANT Esports and Rainbow Six Siege Esports.
Moritz Maurer, CEO and Founder of GRID Esports, said: “Nearly a decade ago, I helped establish the esports market as Genius Sports’ Head of Esports, after my first company’s acquisition, proving that esports betting had a place in the regulated industry.
“Today, it’s a top-five category, but its growth is still held back by fragmented and unreliable unofficial data. With GRID’s in-game data infrastructure and official assets and Genius Sports’ global reach, we’re eliminating those barriers and setting a new standard for official, scalable, and integrity-first esports betting.”
Samsung strengthens esports footing with Virtus.pro partnership
Virtus.pro, an Armenian esports organisation, has partnered with Japanese technology company Samsung.
As part of the deal, Samsung has offered the esports organisation an upgrade by providing Virtus with some of its latest technology. Additionally, the partnership seeks to support young talent, ensuring they have the opportunities to be successful in years to come.
Nikolai Petrossian, CEO of Virtus.pro, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Samsung as an official partner of our club. This partnership opens new opportunities for us and our fans.
“The support of a globally renowned brand will strengthen our position on the international stage and allow us to continue delivering exciting moments to Virtus.pro supporters around the world.”
This isn’t Samsung’s first deal in esports, with the company partnering with a mix of esports teams and other industry organisations over the past few years, such as NRG, VCT Americas, Twitch Rivals, GIANTX and T1.
Lee Chungsun, President of Samsung Electronics CIS headquarters, commented: “Samsung takes great pride in its long-standing commitment to esports and continues to play an active role in its development.
“Together with Virtus.pro, we aim to grow esports in the CIS region, support young talent, and inspire them to pursue successful careers in the industry. We are confident that this collaboration will strengthen gaming culture and contribute to the evolution of professional esports.”
To read the last esports report, click HERE.
