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Ben Stokes (Red Bull Athlete) & Stuart Broad share thoughts ahead of Virtual Grand Prix

Published

6 years ago

April 30, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This weekend, England teammates Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad will be rivals as they compete in the Virtual Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit.

Stokes will be racing for Red Bull a second time, whilst Broad is making his debut for AlphaTauri.

Ahead of Sunday’s race, both Stokes and Broad have been speaking about how they’ve been preparing along with sharing some thoughts on who is the better all-round sportsman…

Who is the better all-round sportsman?

Ben: When it comes to golf for me and Stuart – if we paid 20 times, it would be 11-9, 10 -10. We are very similar golfers, so it just depends who turns up and plays best on the day.

I think he would happily admit I have him covered on the football field, although he considers himself a tactical genius. I can see him standing on the side of the football pitch in a suit ordering people around in terms of formation and what to do. Come in tight, push out wide, and all that kind of stuff.

Stuart: With no hesitation, I have to say Stokesy is one of those mates that seems to be good at every sport he has a go at. I’m sat here trying to think of any sports I’d like to take him on 1v1 at.

Cricket- No
Rugby- Absolutely not
Athletics- No chance
Golf- We are pretty close but when it’s his day he’s unplayable
Football – let’s just say neither of us is nearing a pro contract there….

Who would you say is the better driver between you?

Ben: To be honest, Stu and I have been practicing together. Trying to give each other tips and things like that because we don’t want to embarrass ourselves when it comes to race day. This is Stuarts the first time, so I have been giving him the tips that follow Red Bull athlete Alex Albon gave me it. I think we are both going to be better prepared than I was for the last race and we are both looking forward to it.

Stuart: Better? Or Quicker? I’d suggest Stokesy gets to the cricket ground in the morning for training before me, even if he leaves after me… but you should see the state of his alloys…

Sledging can be used quite effectively in cricket – do you think they’ll be any mind games between the two of you?

Ben: Not really from us, the mind will be totally on not making fools out of ourselves!!

Stuart: It’s an interesting one as we’ve actually been training together and working on strategies to help each other out for this race weekend (makes us sound like pros- were not, we just need all the help we can get!) I can genuinely say I hope we have a competitive battle. I think we’re really close actually; we just need to avoid contact in the first few laps and control our brains.

We do have a weakness in that we think we can overtake anywhere on the track!

Be patient and pick our spots. Patient?! Ben Stokes?! This could be chaos…

Are either of you big fans of F1/ have any heroes in the sport?

Ben: Out of the both of us Stuart is definitely the bigger F1 fan. But over the last couple of months, I would say that I have taken a lot more interest in it, purely from the game and the Drive to Survive TV series. I didn’t use to give it too much thought, but now I do take an interest. I haven’t been to a race yet but will definitely go to the next race I am around for. I have always been into cricket and golf, but F1 now is one of the sports I would say I take a decent amount of interest in.

Stuart: Love it. Always have done. I used to love watching it with my Dad when I was a kid. I’ve been very fortunate to have some wonderful experiences at races. My Dad & I went to Monza and Abu Dhabi with Red Bull at the time when Vettel & Webber were in the seats and we had brilliant weekends. Being up close to the cars just grows your enthusiasm for the sport. As cricketers, we always seem to check the cricket fixtures in early July as soon as they come out to see if they clash with Silverstone! I’ve found it to be one of those sports – a bit like NFL – where the more I’ve understood the strategy behind it, the more fascinating I’ve found it. Dream career if I wasn’t a cricketer? And if I wasn’t 6ft 6? A Formula 1 Driver… I have my virtual chance now.

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

10 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

17 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

17 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.