eSports
ESPORTS AWARDS CREATIVE & COLLEGIATE FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is excited to present the finalists for this year’s creative & collegiate categories which include the likes of FaZe Clan, Team Vitality, and LittleJem with voting now live. This year’s Esports Awards will be hosted at Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas on December 13th.
The finalists were announced by Parker “Interro” Mackay, Yinsu Collins, & Thom “Fdot” Badinger as part of Esports Awards’ fourth Spotlight Show of the year. The show also featured a quiz where a VALORANT expert Yinsu and Rainbow 6 expert Interro went head-to-head to see who knows more about esports.
The Spotlight Show also played host to an interview with Jake Lucky, esports personality, interviewer, presenter, and reporter, who discussed Full Squad Gaming’s nomination for Content Group of the Year, an organisation he recently joined. Lucky is an esports apparel enthusiast and co-founded Esports Closet – an organisation focused on promoting and displaying the best apparel and merchandise from the esports industry.
The full list of creative and collegiate award finalists are:
Esports Apparel of the Year
- FaZe Clan
- Team Liquid
- 100 Thieves
- FlyQuest
- G2 Esports
- Cloud9
- Fnatic
- OpTic Gaming
- TSM
- Team Vitality
Esports Cosplay of the Year
- LittleJem
- Inastes_tears
- Anaelic
- Kinpatsu Cosplay
- Skydaddi
- Har_Fie
- Peyton Cosplay
- Romu
- Anna Veber
- Larissa Rochefort
Esports Creative of the Year
- Caroline Parker-Stark
- Roma Bib
- Tiago ‘Liquid Enigma’ Paixao
- Euller Araujo
- Gregory ‘SesoHQ’ Ortiz
- Ella Pravetz
- Jay Braga
- Christian Skimmeland
Esports Creative Piece of the Year
- FATALE: Coming for the Crown | 2022 Verizon VCT Game Changers
- The Bellhop | Gucci Gaming Academy
- 2022 Here we are – WATCH US FOLLOW US
- Become the Nightmare | VCT22 Masters Reykjavík Cinematic
- Together We Rise | Liquid VALORANT Montage
- The Topfather | G2 MSI Hype Video
- TOMORROW WE FIGHT | 2022 LCS Summer Promo ft. Voyboy, Doublelift, Sneaky, Shiphtur
- IEM Katowice 2022 – Immortals
- Blast Premier Spring 2022 Posters
Esports Creative Team of the Year
- Sentinels
- LOUD
- AOE Creative
- Paper Crowns
- North Studio
- G2 Esports
- OpTic Gaming
- Team Liquid
- MAD Lions
- 100 Thieves
- Team Vitality
Esports Collegiate Program of the Year
- Boise State University
- Maryville University
- University of Hawai’i
- University of Warwick
- St. Thomas University
- Illinois State University
- Northwood University
- Grand Canyon University
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Southern University
Esports Collegiate Ambassador of the Year
- Kevin Hoang
- Justin Banusing
- Jack Fenton
- Adam Antor
- Sergio ‘Physix’ Brack
- Daniel Clerke
- Yugina Yun
- Nyle Sky Kauweloa, PhD
- Christine Fan
- Ryan Johnson
“It is such an honour to bring together so many talented individuals, organisations, and brands from across the globe and provide a platform for them to get the recognition and celebration that they deserve. I am so happy to see the massive amounts of growth in the creative categories this year and look forward to welcoming everyone to a night of excitement and celebration in Las Vegas in December.” Michael Ashford, CEO, Esports Awards
The Esports Awards 2022 campaign key dates:
- September 29: Lifetime Achievement in Esports Class of 2022 reveal
- October 27: Finalists for Pro & On-air categories
- TBC: The Go Home Show
- December 13: Esports Awards 2022
The 2022 Esports Awards is brought to you in partnership with Verizon, Plarium, Truman Factory, Secretlab, Sizzle Creative and Tyson Foods.
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data providers
DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026
DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.
The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.
Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.
DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.
“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.
The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
energy drinks
Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier
Multi-year deal adds Laboratoires Gilbert’s new brand to jerseys across CS2, VALORANT, Rocket League and LoL teams ahead of a September 2026 launch.
Team Vitality has signed a multi-year partnership with FYZIO, naming the brand its new official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier. FYZIO is a sports nutrition and hydration brand developed by Laboratoires Gilbert, a French healthcare company established in 1904.
The partnership will put FYZIO branding on the left sleeve of Team Vitality’s official jerseys for several flagship rosters, including CS2, VALORANT (VCT), Rocket League, and League of Legends teams across the LEC, LFL, and Rising Bees. FYZIO will also support Team Vitality teams competing in Teamfight Tactics, Tekken, and Trackmania.
FYZIO is scheduled to launch in September 2026. Team Vitality said the brand will supply products intended to support areas including hydration, fatigue and stress reduction, concentration and memory, and sleep quality.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with FYZIO and proud to support the launch of this ambitious new brand from the French group, Laboratoires Gilbert. By integrating its specialised nutrition products into our teams’ routines, we are further strengthening our commitment to high-performance excellence,” comments Vas Roberts, Co-CEO of Team Vitality.
“For more than 120 years, Laboratoires Gilbert has been developing solutions dedicated to health and well-being. With FYZIO, we are bringing this expertise to a new ambition: helping everyone achieve their goals, whatever they may be, through a modern, accessible, and responsible approach to sports nutrition. Our partnership with Team Vitality reflects this shared vision of progress, high standards, and sustainable performance. Your performance, our nature“, explains Cédric Batteur, Chairman & CEO, Laboratoires Gilbert.
The post Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel
McDonald’s Germany has partnered with G2 as presenting partner of G2 NORD, the organisation’s League of Legends academy team competing in Germany’s Prime League. The deal also includes support for the return of G2 Hel, G2’s women’s League of Legends team.
Under the agreement, McDonald’s Germany branding, including the “ich liebe es” (I’m lovin’ it) tagline, will appear on G2 NORD and G2 Hel jerseys. The partners also plan a year-long content programme focused on player storytelling and behind-the-scenes access, including a series featuring team president Niklot “Tolkin” Stüber.
G2 positioned the partnership around its regional development pathway. G2 NORD was formed earlier this year through a collaboration between G2 and NORD Esports, and the organisation said the roster has already won the Prime League Winter Snowdown and reached the playoffs in its first EMEA Masters run.
The company said McDonald’s Germany’s backing enables G2 Hel’s return, with the team set to compete in the upcoming Game Changers circuit. “This partnership goes beyond traditional sponsorship, it’s a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of talent development and creating meaningful opportunities within the space,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2. Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, CMO of McDonald’s Germany, added: “We’re proud to support G2 Nord and to celebrate the return of G2 Hel – a strong signal for equity, visibility and inclusion in esports.”
To launch the collaboration, McDonald’s and G2 released an announcement video featuring Jankos, Sola, Tolkin, Team Nord and Caltys, produced in-house by G2. McDonald’s Germany said its lead agency Scholz & Friends supported the development and execution of the partnership.
The post McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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