eSports
All eyes on esports as COVID-19 wipes out sporting calendar

Esports betting is braced for a boost as sportsbook punters look for action during the Coronavirus outbreak. With the sporting calendar decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic, betting opportunities are significantly reduced.
Most major football, golf, racing and tennis events have been cancelled or postponed as authorities try to tackle the virus.
But many esports events are able to be played online, allowing them to go ahead.
Quentin Martin, CEO of esports betting site Luckbox, said: “While the esports calendar has also been affected, it’s much more resilient in this situation because matches can be played online, without players needing to be in the same place.
“And, while having fans live in an arena generates a great atmosphere, it doesn’t make too much difference to the hundreds of thousands of fans watching via live stream.
“So far, the early indications are that esports betting volumes will increase – we’ve seen a 54 per cent increase in new player registrations in the past week – since it was announced the English Premier League would be postponed.
“It figures that players who enjoy sports betting are more inclined to give esports a try, with little else to bet on.
“Many sports fans are self-isolating or in lockdown and esports is pretty much the only show in town at the moment.”
The show goes on
ESL Pro League Season 11 – a CS:GO event that started on March 16 – was forced to switch to an online format by the Coronavirus outbreak and saw a significant increase in peak viewership on its first day. Some 146,000 fans tuned into the live Twitch stream, up from 115,00 in the previous season.
The number of fans playing esports games also seemingly increased, with CS:GO breaking the 1,000,000 mark for concurrent players for the first time in its 20-year history on March 14.
The League of Legends European and North American regions will resume online this weekend, while matches in China have returned to an offline format, with the situation improving there.
Overwatch League is another top-level esports event set to resume this weekend in an online-only format.
Mr Martin said: “Clearly, these are challenging times for many people across the world but, for many, esports and gaming is a welcome distraction.
“Perhaps now is the time fans of traditional sports will take a look at esports and realise what all the fuss is about.”
eSports
Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID

Genius Sports Limited has signed new partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID Esports (GRID) to provide sportsbooks with the highest-quality official esports offering.
GRID, as the only game data platform directly working with the game publishers will provide Genius Sports with exclusive access to official live esports data from League of Legends, and VALORANT, the fastest-growing betting esports title, alongside Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six data, and a robust portfolio of CS2 and Dota2 data from the global tournaments by BLAST and Champion of Champions.
Genius Sports’ sportsbook partners will also be able to access official streaming and data visualizations powered by official GRID data.
Bayes Esports is helping power Genius Sports’ esports offering with its highly granular Live Match Data. As the exclusive data partner of key esports tournament organisers such as ESL FACEIT Group, Bayes Esports covers the majority of official live data for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 esports, which brings in some of the highest revenue for sportsbooks.
Genius Sports will further enhance its offering with Bayes Esports’ data product suite, including low-latency video and live data-powered widgets. Select Genius Sports products will be available through Bayes Esports’ distribution in return.
Going forward, Genius Sports will provide sportsbooks worldwide with an end-to-end esports trading product across pre-match and in-play, powered by ultra low-latency data to guarantee sharp odds and maximum market uptime. Through this product, sportsbooks can unlock new revenues by reaching a highly engaged audience with high-octane, year-round content.
“We are thrilled to announce these new partnerships with Bayes and GRID, two leaders in their field, to create an unrivalled esports content suite for our sportsbook partners. As the new home of esports for sportsbooks, we will provide our partners with the highest-quality data and odds on the most prestigious titles in the sport,” said Matt Stephenson, Global Partnerships Director at Genius Sports.
The post Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced that DACH CS GmbH (DACH CS), a tournament organiser seeking to revitalise competitive Counter-Strike in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, has officially joined ESIC membership.
By joining ESIC, DACH CS commits to upholding the highest standards of competitive integrity. The membership requires the league to implement ESIC’s Integrity Programme across all of its tournaments, tackling key issues such as match-fixing, cheating, and doping, fostering a culture of fair play within the region.
As an ESIC member, DACH CS will integrate ESIC’s codes of conduct, actively cooperate in investigations, and enforce ESIC’s rulings. This commitment aligns DACH CS with global best practices, ensuring that the DACH Counter-Strike esports scene operates with a proven integrity framework.
Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said: “DACH CS’s dedication to rebuilding and strengthening the competitive Counter-Strike scene in the DACH region makes them a valuable addition to ESIC’s growing membership. Their commitment to competitive integrity and fair competition aligns perfectly with our mission to safeguard esports. We look forward to working closely with them to support a sustainable and transparent ecosystem for players, teams, and stakeholders in the region.”
Anton Christoph, Founder & Managing Director of DACH CS, said: “At DACH CS, we’re on a mission to take the Counter-Strike Scene in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to old and new heights! We’re super excited to be joining forces with ESIC, as we’re confident that this is a vital step in keeping our community’s most prized values at the heart of our operations. By teaming up with ESIC and aligning with their globally recognised integrity standards, we’re making a promise to you, our players, teams and stakeholders, to provide a competitive environment that’s both trusted and well-structured. We are excited to work closely with ESIC to build a sustainable and respected esports landscape in the DACH region.”
The post DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Rocket League Championship Series Announces Progressive Insurance® as Presenting Sponsor for Entire 2025 Season

BLAST, an esports entertainment company, has announced an expanded sponsorship with Progressive Insurance, making it the Presenting Sponsor for the entire Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) 2025 season.
Following its successful sponsorship of the Rocket League World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, last year, Progressive is deepening its investment in Esports by extending its presence across all Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) events in 2025, including Qualifiers, RLCS Majors, and the Rocket League World Championship.
Progressive is the second largest personal auto insurer in the United States, a leading seller of commercial auto, motorcycle, and boat insurance, and one of the country’s top 15 homeowners insurance carriers.
The sponsorship will see Progressive featured both digitally and physically across the RLCS 2025 season and includes logo placement on the Rocket League ball in RLCS broadcasts, branded broadcast content and a number of in and out of game logo integrations.
The RLCS is the official competitive league for Rocket League Esports, which features the world’s best teams and players competing across the year for a place in the much-anticipated arena events – fans can look forward to events such as the RLCS Major in Birmingham, UK and Raleigh Majors and the Rocket League World Championship in Lyon, France.
Progressive first sponsored Rocket League Esports last September for the Rocket League World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, where Team BDS claimed the lion’s share of the $1,165,500 total prize pool and coveted world title.
Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenues for BLAST, said: “The expansion of our sponsorship with Progressive highlights the growing global reach of Rocket League Esports, along with its brilliant passionate fanbase and the exciting arena events on offer across the year. We are looking forward to further integrating Progressive into the Rocket League esports ecosystem in 2025.”
Sean Freeman, Media Business Leader at Progressive, said: “We’re excited to help bring a fun and competitive Rocket League Championship Series season to the Esports community in 2025. We look forward to connecting with the passionate fans of Rocket League both in-game and in the arena all season long through this expanded sponsorship.”
The post Rocket League Championship Series Announces Progressive Insurance® as Presenting Sponsor for Entire 2025 Season appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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