eSports
Esports Exposure Exploding During COVID-19 Outbreak
Esports was already a booming business coming into 2020. Last year, Esports topped $1 billion in revenue for the first time. That was a 26.7% increase from 2018.
A sure sign of the growth in the popularity of Esports is shown by the fact that its highest-grossing revenue stream in 2019 was in the area of sponsorship. According to a published report, there was nearly $457 million generated in sponsor money by Esports last year.
Esports leagues and tournaments are drawing huge audience numbers. Estimates were that almost 454 million took in an Esport event last year. Those are the kinds of numbers that encourage major corporate sponsorship of the events.
COVID-19 Impact
The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to another spike in popularity among Esports. In North America, the NHL, NBA and MLB halted their seasons. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament was canceled. Golf and tennis also stopped playing. The launch of NFL and NCAA football seasons in the fall remain uncertain.
Around the globe, almost of the world soccer shut down. The European Champions League and the English Premier League took a hiatus. Euro 2020 and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics were postponed.
With all of the major sporting leagues forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 virus and the accompanying bans on large gatherings, there’s little in the way of sports to entertain the masses. Sports fans were left desperate for an outlet. Sports networks sought out programming. Sportsbooks looking for other forms of betting turned their attention to writing more wagers around Esports events.
Esports are stepping up and proving capable of filling the void. While not completely bereft from feeling the impact of COVID-19 – the large tournament events held in halls filled with spectators watching video game team competitions such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty and Dota 2 are currently not permitted.
The Overwatch League is playing its entire 2020 season online. Play! Pokémon canceled its North American International Championship and World Championship.
However, the ability of Esports to adapt and be played by players under quarantine is giving them a leg up on actual sports.
Industry estimates are that the demand for Esports has increased by 300% since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Big League Sports Entering The Fray
Virtual sports are also a big part of the Esports explosion. Competition in soccer, basketball, tennis, horse and greyhound racing are among the many virtual sports on offer.
There are events built around tournaments in such popular sports-themed video games as Madden NFL, NBA 2K20, FIFA, and NHL 20.
The major sports leagues already recognized the potential for virtual spots as a revenue growth stream. Both the NBA and NHL began holding tryouts to pick players to form virtual versions of their actual teams that would eventually compete in simulated leagues.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, the big leagues are looking to get in on the Esports explosion and keep their sports going at the same time.
NASCAR has been holding the eNASCAR Pro Invitational iRacing Series, where actual NASCAR drivers compete in races as their virtual selves. The simulations are carried live by Fox Sports and are proving to be a big hit with racing fans.
The Nielsen ratings for the first event of the iRacing Series came in at an average of 638,000 households and 903,000 viewers, making it the most-watched Esports event of all-time.
By comparison, live NASCAR racing during the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series averaged 2.1 million viewers per race. NASCAR’s iRacing ratings are almost on par with the 2019 numbers for viewers of their second-tier racing competition, the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Those races averaged 725,000 homes and 948,000 viewers.
Formula One is also contesting virtual Grand Prix races, with its drivers racing as their virtual selves. Australian SuperCars competition is doing likewise.
Other sports also are holding Esports competitions to give their fans a regular fix during the coronavirus quarantine. The NFL organized a Madden tournament featuring eight current NFL players. The NBA put together an NBA 2K20 tournament with 16 current players in action.
The most ambitious of these virtual sports simulations is currently being undertaken by Major League Baseball. An MLB The Show competition is pitting 30 of today’s MLB players, each representing their own team.
They are playing a 29-game regular season, facing each other player once. The top eight players will qualify for postseason play, which will lead to a virtual World Series champion being crowned.
Other sports have opted to take their Esports competitions in an entirely different direction. With the Australian National Rugby League season on hold, instead of their slated match, members of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Wests Tigers competed in a game of Fortnite that was live-streamed on both team’s Facebook pages.
Esports Future Bright
During the 2004-05 lockout that wiped out the entire NHL season, poker utilized that opportunity to fill the broadcasting void left by no hockey and became a television staple.
COVID-19 has created a similar opportunity for Esports to grow exponentially and gain a foothold with a mainstream sports audience that might not have given it a second thought otherwise.
Esports was growing rapidly regardless. As one of the few sports still currently playing, its already bright future is blossoming with significantly more glow.
eSports
LEON.BET partners with 9INE to become esport club’s exclusive online betting house
LEON.BET has announced a collaboration with 9INE, one of Europe’s top esports organisations known for its focus on Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), that will see it become the exclusive betting partner to the team.
The partnership will take esports betting to a new level, offering fans exclusive content and exciting new ways to engage with their favourite games.
As a leading online betting platform, LEON.BET offers a wide range of betting options across sports, casino and esports. The operator’s user-friendly interface, competitive odds, and commitment to fair play have made it a trusted name worldwide. LEON.BET is also dedicated to supporting young talents, believing it is key to a bright and promising future.
Through the partnership, LEON.BET aims to combine its innovative betting platform with 9INE’s expertise in competitive gaming, creating a more immersive experience for esports fans, providing new and exciting betting opportunities along with exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
LEON.BET’s CGO said: “We are extremely happy to start our cooperation with 9INE. Recent changes to their roster show huge potential, and we at LEON.BET want to be part of that journey.
“Together with 9INE, we will create a fantastic space for esports enthusiasts. Supporting young talents is at the core of LEON.BET’s development strategy, and we see a great future and prospects in this path.”
The post LEON.BET partners with 9INE to become esport club’s exclusive online betting house appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
The Esports Awards Win Gold at 45th Telly Awards
The Esports Awards and Thunder Studios announced that the Esports Awards 2023 has been awarded Best Online Series, Shows and Segments in People’s Telly in the record-breaking 45th Telly Awards.
The Telly Awards recognize excellence in video and television across all screens and are judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks and production companies, including Adobe, Calvin Klein, ESPN, LinkedIn, Mother Jones, NASA, the LA Clippers (NBA), PlayStation Studios, Sawhorse Productions and TelevisaUnivision.
Founded in 2015, the Esports Awards is the most prestigious night in the esports calendar and the only global award show that aims to recognize esports excellence. The 2023 edition, held at Resorts World in Las Vegas, was a spectacular celebration of the industry’s best, spanning thirty award categories across Entertainment, Industry, Creative, Pro, On-Air Talent and Collegiate sectors, viewed by millions globally.
In a remarkable achievement, the Esports Awards, in partnership with Xfinity, set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the largest digital video game display during the event. WWE superstars Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair, pro-Fortnite player Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf and esports personality Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez played on a screen made up of 3552 LED panels, covering 100,000 square feet. This feat was made possible through the support of Thunder Studios and Infinite Reality Studios.
Other notable winners at the Telly Awards include PlayStation Studios, National Geographic, and MTV Entertainment Studios.
Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards, said: “The whole team is truly honored and humbled to be recognized at the Telly Awards among nominees of such caliber. We couldn’t be prouder and more excited as we set our sights on achieving even greater things in 2024. To the entire esports community and our partners, we say thank you.”
Sean Cross, President of iR Entertainment, added: “These awards prove what we have known for years, Thunder Studios is a partner that transcends the ordinary, a hidden gem where innovation and quality set the standard for excellence in modern and advanced media production. We are not just meeting but exceeding the high standards of the media production industry.”
The 45th Telly Awards saw a record-breaking number of nearly 13,000 entries from top video and television content producers worldwide. Winners were selected by the Telly Awards Judging Council, an industry body of over 200 leading experts from advertising agencies, production companies and major television networks.
The post The Esports Awards Win Gold at 45th Telly Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Counter-Strike 2 (CS2)
LEON.BET partners with 9INE to become their Exclusive Online Betting House
We at LEON.BET are thrilled to announce our partnership with 9INE, one of Europe’s top esports organizations known for their focus on Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). This partnership will take esports betting to a new level, offering fans exclusive content and exciting new ways to engage with their favorite games.
As a leading online betting platform, LEON.BET offers a wide range of betting options across sports, casino and esports. Our user-friendly interface, competitive odds, and commitment to fair play have made us a trusted name worldwide. We’re also dedicated to supporting young talents, believing it’s the key to a bright and promising future.
Through this partnership, we aim to combine 9INE’s expertise in competitive gaming with our innovative betting platform. This will create a more immersive experience for esports fans, providing new and exciting betting opportunities along with exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
“We are extremely happy to start our cooperation with 9INE. Recent changes to their roster show huge potential, and we at LEON.BET want to be part of that journey,” said our CGO.
“Together with 9INE, we will create a fantastic space for esports enthusiasts. Supporting young talents is at the core of LEON.BET’s development strategy, and we see great future and prospects in this path.”
-
Balkans7 days ago
Amusnet Brings Top-Notch Entertainment to Belgrade Future Gaming 2024
-
Alonso Huiman7 days ago
Pragmatic Play Launches Live Casino Offer at Atlantic City
-
Baltics7 days ago
BETBY TO POWER ESTONIAN BRAND WINNERZ WITH SPORTSBOOK SOLUTION INCLUDING PROPRIETARY ESPORTS FEED SOLUTION
-
Asia7 days ago
M88 Mansion presents 10th edition of IT’S THE SHIP, Asia’s largest festival at sea, in Korea
-
Africa7 days ago
SIS partners with Bitville Gaming to accelerate progress in Africa
-
Central Europe7 days ago
Amusnet Expands its Portfolio to Czech Republic with Tipsport
-
3 Oaks Gaming6 days ago
Why is LatAm such an important market for 3 Oaks Gaming?
-
Asia6 days ago
Quezon City Mayor Bans Government Employees from Solaire North Casino