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IBM Enters Esports Arena with Activision Blizzard in New Multi-Year Deal as the Presenting Partner of the Overwatch League Grand Finals

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IBM to help power interactive and analytical content for the Overwatch League, engaging fans and players through cloud, IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence, and machine learning

Today, IBM and the Overwatch League, the world’s first global esports league with 20 city-based teams, announced its first-of-a-kind multi-year deal to bring IBM’s cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to esports. A sponsorship component kicks off at this year’s 2020 Overwatch League Grand Finals, which started Oct. 8 and run through Oct. 10. With the agreement – IBM’s first-ever esports deal – the technology leader becomes the official AI, cloud, and analytics sponsor of the Overwatch League. The deal covers the 2020 Grand Finals and the entirety of the 2021 and 2022 Overwatch League seasons.

Through the course of the deal, IBM and the Overwatch League plan to leverage IBM’s suite of advanced cloud and AI products. Starting in 2021, IBM and the Overwatch League will be working closely to develop technology solutions leveraging IBM’s expertise in natural language processing and machine learning to improve the league’s rankings system, and utilize IBM’s Watson AI capabilities to create live and in-broadcast predictive analysis, with specific solutions currently under development.

“We’re constantly striving to give fans the ability to more meaningfully engage with the Overwatch League, and teaming up with IBM enables us to do just that,” said Brandon Snow, Chief Revenue Officer of Activision Blizzard Esports. “IBM’s cutting-edge AI and machine learning, underpinned by cloud technologies, will help enable us to bring interactive and innovative engagement opportunities to our fans and teams. This is a fantastic benefit to our viewers, and we’re very excited to be announcing it during the biggest event of our season.”

“We’re thrilled to bring our world class Cloud platforms and Watson portfolio to one of the leading esports platforms in the world,” said Noah Syken, Vice President of Sports & Entertainment Partnerships, IBM. “The solutions we’re partnering to create can help the organizations, players, and fans enjoy an even more immersive, engaging experience. We look forward to working with the Overwatch League, to bring innovative solutions at scale, to broad and relevant audiences.”

The sponsorship with the Overwatch League will kick off in 2021 and include new solutions, that plan to be hosted on the IBM Cloud. Those solutions, which are currently under development, will leverage IBM’s suite of analytics tools to process in-match data, adding Watson’s AI capabilities through the use of Watson Machine Learning and the AutoAI functionality within Watson Studio. Additionally, the solutions will find new ways to showcase the wide array of historical statistics that the Overwatch League gets from live play.

The announcement of IBM and the Overwatch League teaming together is IBM’s first foray into the global world of esports and joins an impressive list of sports and entertainment partnerships that IBM technology powers around the world. IBM has been a part of gaming history as a hardware manufacturer, chip creator, and software provider for developers since 1985. Over the past 35 years, IBM has worked with gaming and esports entities through PowerPC processors, NLP, and cloud technology.

IBM has been a long-time partner to a range of sports organizations, teams, and events, including tennis (US Open and Wimbledon), golf (The Masters), football (via ESPN Fantasy Football), and the GRAMMY Awards. Through IBM’s partnerships, including IBM’s new engagement with the Overwatch League, IBM is able to reimagine sports, and entertainment experiences for fans, players and coaches alike, leveraging the flexibility of the hybrid cloud, and other AI-powered solutions.

 

SOURCE IBM

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Decade of Impact — World Esports Summit Marks Its 10th Edition

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The International Esports Federation (IESF) has successfully wrapped up the significant 10th edition of the World Esports Summit 2025, reinforcing its position as a key event for the progress of the World of Esports and global collaboration.

Focused on the theme “Shaping the World of Esports,” the 2025 Summit convened federations, publishers, global sports organizations, technology innovators, and integrity agencies to collaborate on the future of esports as a structured, credible, and universally unified field.

This anniversary edition showcased a robust and varied group of speakers, demonstrating IESF’s dedication to collaboration across sectors. Significant input was provided by Gustavo Arellano (FIBA), Eric Stranne (FIA), Ray Ng (Moonton), James Yang (Tencent), Valentin Capelli (WADA), Junghwan Han (KADA), Dipesh Makwana (Alibaba Cloud), Tomica Madjercic (Sportradar), and Ivan Dimitrijevic (EXPO 2027 Belgrade), as well as senior esports officials from across the globe.

Conversations during the Summit focused on essential aspects of IESF’s mission, such as governance and federation development, maintaining competitive integrity and anti-doping measures, technological advancements, and fostering sustainable ecosystem growth. The emphasis on diplomacy and collaboration emphasized esports’ increasing alignment with global sports standards and international organizations.

With the 10th edition of the World Esports Summit, IESF has once more showcased its leadership by uniting the global esports community, connecting regions, aligning stakeholders, and establishing common priorities for the future.

With unprecedented involvement, elevated discussions, and a distinct strategic vision, World Esports Summit 2025 represents a pivotal milestone in IESF’s continuous endeavor to influence the future of esports via unity, trustworthiness, and global cooperation.

The post Decade of Impact — World Esports Summit Marks Its 10th Edition appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Esportes da Sorte to be official sponsor of Brazil’s leading Carnival celebrations in 2026

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Tuesday 10th February 2026: Leading Brazilian iGaming company Esportes da Sorte will deliver one of the most extensive Carnival activations in the industry for Carnival 2026, with an official presence at the country’s most iconic and emblematic celebrations.

The brand will serve as the official sponsor of festivities in seven Brazilian capitals — Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Natal and Maceió — as well as having a strong presence in Olinda, a city of major cultural significance. The national project will also include special activations in Caicó (RN), a key production hub for the brand’s promotional merchandise.

This initiative reflects Esportes da Sorte’s continued investment in Brazilian popular culture, built over several years across different regions of the country. In 2026, this positioning takes shape through a structured national project that embraces the diversity of Carnival formats — from traditional street blocos to electric trios and major urban stages — with visual identity and activations designed city by city, respecting local symbols, aesthetics and narratives.

“Carnival is part of Brazil’s cultural identity and also part of Esportes da Sorte’s journey. Being present at the country’s main Carnival celebrations is a strategic choice that reinforces our long-term commitment to popular culture, to the cities, and to the people who live this festival in the streets,” said Darwin Filho, CEO of Esportes Gaming Brasil.

“Our Carnival project was designed city by city, respecting the unique characteristics and culture of each sponsored location. The idea is to ensure a real presence and unique experiences for Carnival-goers, integrating the brand organically into the rhythm of each celebration. Whether through blocos, trios or major urban hubs, we want to strengthen ourselves as the brand that elevates the connection between culture and entertainment,” said Marcela Campos, Vice President of Esportes Gaming Brasil.

Beyond its on-the-ground presence, Esportes da Sorte’s Carnival 2026 strategy includes an integrated media and engagement approach, featuring activations across TV, radio, out-of-home media and a national PR operation before, during and after the festivities, focused on high-quality coverage and organic content generation.

The project will also include content and influencer engagement initiatives across multiple locations, expanding organic reach while capturing behind-the-scenes moments and Carnival experiences.

In 2025, the brand was present in more than 100 blocos and street parties across different regions of the country. For 2026, Esportes da Sorte is taking things to the next level, consolidating a nationwide project and reinforcing its leadership role in Brazil’s largest popular event.

The post Esportes da Sorte to be official sponsor of Brazil’s leading Carnival celebrations in 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Polymarket Joins BLAST as Official Prediction Partner for BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam 2026

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  • Polymarket to activate across seven BLAST events across both Slam and Premier ecosystems
  • Partnership introduces integrated prediction formats and new fan engagement experiences

Competitive entertainment firm BLAST has revealed a new alliance with Polymarket, the globe’s largest prediction market, designating the platform as its ‘Official Prediction Partner’ through 2026. The partnership will encompass BLAST’s Counter-Strike and Dota 2 tournament events, BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam, enhancing prediction-based interaction for fans during various international tournaments.

Polymarket will be featured in seven of BLAST’s worldwide Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 events, starting this week at BLAST Slam VI in Malta. Dota and Counter-Strike events will include custom content pieces utilized in broadcasts and desk segments showcasing the platform’s involvement in BLAST’s events.

Polymarket will gain significant exposure through live broadcasts, arena events, and digital media as BLAST enhances fan interaction with premier competitive entertainment. Polymarket’s branding will be prominently displayed throughout BLAST’s broadcasts through digital integrations and physical advertisements.

In addition to broadcasting, the collaboration expands to live arena events, with Polymarket integrated into the in-person fan experience through elements like the Polymarket Fancam and the opportunity to accommodate creators and streamers in the arena using designated event streaming booths.

Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue at BLAST said: “Esports is evolving rapidly into a more interactive, data-driven entertainment experience, and we are delighted to team up with Polymarket to bring exciting new engagement opportunities to our fans all around the world. Together, we’re creating something that feels native to esports culture: fast, live, and deeply connected to the action. This partnership is about enhancing how fans experience competition, whether they’re watching online or inside an arena. We’re proud to join Polymarket’s industry-leading group of partners, alongside the NHL, UFC and the MLS among others, reflecting the growing global recognition of BLAST’s events.”

Matthew Modabber, CMO of Polymarket, said: “Esports has long been dominated by traditional sportsbooks, but prediction markets open the door to a more transparent and community-driven way for fans to engage with competition. Partnering with BLAST brings that experience to a global audience and helps make prediction markets a natural part of how people watch, debate, and follow competitive gaming. We see this as the beginning of a new chapter for fan participation in esports.”

The post Polymarket Joins BLAST as Official Prediction Partner for BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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