eSports

EXCEL ESPORTS partners with fitness equipment manufacturer Eleiko to enhance LEC performance

Published

5 years ago

January 28, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The partnership will see Eleiko supply EXCEL ESPORTS’ League of Legends’ team with world leading fitness equipment, helping to better EXCEL’s performance strategy

British competitive gaming culture brand EXCEL ESPORTS has today announced a supplier partnership with the world leader in weightlifting equipment, Eleiko. As the Official Fitness Equipment Supplier, Eleiko will supply EXCEL’s League of Legends Championship (LEC) team with a selection of equipment at the player facilities in Berlin that will assist with performance and fitness training.

The announcement follows EXCEL’s brand update that saw it begin forging its own unique path in esports through its new belief in the Power of Better, which sees the team driven by performance and incorporates purpose in order to be better and create positive change in esports and gaming.

EXCEL ESPORTS’ League of Legends players are provided with a holistic, professional performance programme that incorporates both physical and psychological training and support and is spearheaded by the team’s Head of Performance Fabian Broich and Performance Manager Simon Bayer. The partnership with Eleiko will see the team utilise Eleiko’s equipment to support the players individual and team physical training regimes to prepare them throughout the 2021 Spring Split.

EXCEL’s LEC team officially kicked off its 2021 LEC campaign this past weekend with the team bidding to follow up on a successful 2020 Summer Split after narrowly missing out on playoffs. Each year EXCEL’s LEC team has improved significantly, surpassing the performance of the previous year with 2020 marking its best result to date. With a roster of long-standing EXCEL players and promising new talent, EXCEL is looking to continue to improve its results in the LEC in 2021.

The LEC is Europe’s leading League of Legends esports league and represents the highest level of esports competition in the region. Watched by millions of esports fans every week, the league is home to the best 10 teams in Europe who each year represent their region at the League of Legends World Championship.

“At EXCEL improvement never stops and we are always striving to be better. We have big ambitions for 2021 and it’s great to work with a partner like Eleiko who really understands the fitness environment and can provide us with the tools to reach our goals. Performance is a real focal point at EXCEL and it’s great we are able to provide our players with world-class equipment where they can train in a safe environment, ” said Robin McCammon, Chief Commercial Officer, EXCEL.

“EXCEL recently released a whitepaper called “Gaming for Better” which details how regular exercise has a positive impact on a professional gamers lifestyle and wellbeing and how physical health is vital to performance in gaming. The partnership with Eleiko allows us to improve our training regime even more and comes at the perfect time for the LEC Spring Split and while gyms are closed due to COVID. Partnering with Eleiko has given us an opportunity to create our own gym to adapt to the circumstances and find solutions to stabilize our players’ health and performance,” said Fabian Broich, Head of Performance at EXCEL.

”At Eleiko, we understand the difference a sharp mind and body makes. Strength training provides esports athletes with a competitive edge: enhanced memory, endurance and cognitive functions, faster reaction time and greater grip strength. We are proud to support EXCEL’s LEC team in their high-performance training as well as in their esports success,” says Erik Blomberg, CEO at Eleiko.

BLAST

BLAST partners with MATCH on premium fan travel for 2026-27 events

Published

17 hours ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

blast-partners-with-match-on-premium-fan-travel-for-2026-27-events

Deal covers travel and hospitality packages across BLAST’s event slate, starting with BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals in November.

BLAST has signed a one-year partnership with MATCH to develop premium fan travel experiences and related commercial opportunities across BLAST events in 2026 and 2027, including the BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals 2026. The companies said the work will start immediately, with an initial focus on the BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals event in November.

BLAST VP of Destinations and Market Development James Woollard said: “We’re thrilled to partner with MATCH, a company with an unrivalled track record in delivering top-tier fan travel experiences at the biggest sporting events in the world. As BLAST continues to grow globally and attract growing numbers of travelling fans, this partnership represents an exciting opportunity to further elevate the live event experience for fans and audiences across esports.”

MATCH is best known for hospitality and accommodation programmes at major sports events, including four consecutive FIFA World Cups from 2010 to 2022, as well as Ryder Cup tournaments, Formula 1 Grands Prix and ATP tennis tournaments. MATCH Director of UK Events and Business Strategy Richard Parker said: “Esports is one of the most exciting growth frontiers in live entertainment, and BLAST stands out as a world-class platform with incredible potential. At MATCH, we see a tremendous opportunity to bring our expertise in creating premium fan experiences into the esports arena. We are very enthusiastic about the possibility of working together with BLAST to deliver innovative, unforgettable experiences for esports fans worldwide.”

BLAST said MATCH will also bring its network of clients, sponsors, federations, agents and media partners to support international attendance and partner activation, alongside MATCH’s technology and operational infrastructure. The announcement follows BLAST’s 2025 live events activity, where the organiser said it delivered 15 arena shows across 10 countries spanning five titles and sold 194,421 tickets.

The post BLAST partners with MATCH on premium fan travel for 2026-27 events appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Counter-strike

Team Vitality opens V.Hub fan zone for IEM Cologne Major

Published

21 hours ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-vitality-opens-v.hub-fan-zone-for-iem-cologne-major

Team Vitality is launching an official fan zone, V.Hub, to coincide with the 2026 IEM Cologne Major. The venue will run June 18-21 at KWB im Stadtpalais, a short walk from the LANXESS Arena.

Access to V.Hub will be free for fans who sign up, with limited availability. Team Vitality said the space is intended to bring together its community, partners and Counter-Strike fans attending the event.

The fan zone will include dedicated areas hosted by Team Vitality and partners Skin.Club, ASUS ROG, EVNIA and Blacklyte. The club said activations will include hands-on experiences and opportunities to play bespoke Counter-Strike maps.

Team Vitality also plans match watch parties, a pop-up shop for official merchandise and giveaways, including an ASUS ROG x Team Vitality co-branded mousepad. During the playoff stage, the club said V.Hub will be set up for trophy photo opportunities with its Major trophies.

Food and drink will be available on site throughout the event, including vegetarian options.

The post Team Vitality opens V.Hub fan zone for IEM Cologne Major appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

Esports World Cup 2026 Opens Registration for Last Chance Qualifiers

Published

3 days ago

June 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-world-cup-2026-opens-registration-for-last-chance-qualifiers

The Esports Foundation (EF) announced the official lineup and details for the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) tournaments that will award the final spots in eight different competitions at this year’s Esports World Cup, set to be hosted in Paris, France, from July 6 through August 23.

The programme forms the final stage of qualification for EWC 2026, concluding a global Road to EWC that spans more than 230 tournaments and qualification events worldwide and is expected to engage more than 350,000 competitors across publisher ecosystems, regional leagues and official circuits.

The Last Chance Qualifier series consists of eight open tournaments across Counter-Strike 2, EA FC, Rocket League, TEKKEN 8, Chess, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and Street Fighter 6.

Held in Paris between July 5 and August 10, the events will award the final qualification spots for 37 solo competitors and six Clubs at the Esports World Cup 2026, including four Clubs in Counter-Strike 2 and one Club each in Rocket League and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. EA FC qualifiers will advance to the Play-Ins stage, while all other LCQ winners will qualify directly for the main event.

LCQ Schedule and Qualification Slots

• Street Fighter 6 (July 5): 4 players qualify

• Chess (July 9-11): 14 players qualify

• EA FC (July 24-26): 6 players qualify for Play-Ins

• TEKKEN 8 (July 31-August 2): 4 players qualify

• Rocket League (July 31-August 2): 1 Club qualifies

• FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves (August 4-6): 4 players qualify

• Counter-Strike 2 (August 7-9): 4 Clubs qualify

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (August 8-10): 1 Club qualifies

Some of the most remarkable moments in EWC’s history have come as a result of the LCQ. In 2024, EA FC pro João “JafonsogV” Vasconcellos battled through the LCQ before going on to claim the championship, etching his name into esports history. His performance inspired the creation of the Jafonso Award, which is awarded to teams or players that win an EWC championship after qualifying through the LCQ.

In 2025, Team Falcons’ Overwatch roster pulled off that feat to not only claim the first Jafonso Award and the OWCS Midseason Championship, but win what would turn out to be a crucial tournament victory that cemented Falcons’ second straight Club Championship. In the same year, Chess Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Levon Aronian both reached the playoffs after qualifying for the first EWC Chess main event through the LCQ.

The Esports World Cup 2026 will be hosted at Paris Expo Port de Versailles, in Paris, France, from July 6 through August 23, bringing together more than 2000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries across 25 tournaments and 24 games for a record-breaking $75 million+ prize pool.

The post Esports World Cup 2026 Opens Registration for Last Chance Qualifiers appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.