eSports

The Russian esports audience has grown to 15.4 million people in 2020

Published

5 years ago

February 4, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Nielsen Sports, a leading provider of analytical information and statistics in the sports industry, shared the results of a new Russian esports audience research in his speech at the ESforce Morning Show online conference. According to the company, the audience of esports fans in Russia for 2020 increased by 28% and amounted to 15.4 million people aged 13 and over.

According to a new research, among esports fans, 64% of men and 36% of women, the average audience income is 41,700 rubles per person. In 2020, Nielsen Sports analysts found a significant increase in fans: 25% of fans surveyed began to follow matches during the past year, of which 54% are girls and women.

Michael Heina, Head of esports International at Nielsen Sports: “Esports has a strong fanbase in Russia and as our research shows it is still growing. The growth even got a boost during the global pandemic, as many people turned to gaming as a good and entertaining way to spend their time. And as the growing number of esports fans in Russia shows many of these gamers also discovered how fun it is to follow esports. But, it will be crucial for the rights holders to keep the fans interested and offer them many and attractive ways to engage with their favorite topic so they don’t lose interest.

But not only young males love esports, as many people think, we also see more and more female fans. This is a global trend but the effect is outstandingly strong in Russia”.

Sergey Barkhudaryan, Commercial Director of ESforce Holding: “Such a significant increase in the audience was not a surprise for us, it is in line with our annual forecast for the development of the industry. The entire industry works every day to promote esports and fight for the attention of a wider audience. We try to be relevant to people of different ages, preferences, and interests. ESforce is constantly working on studying the esports audience, as it is critical for us to be transparent and effective for our partners. Of course, our partners also play an important role in the growth of the industry, as they focus their advertising campaigns not only on the target audience of esports, but also on a wider audience of their potential customers and consumers, thereby popularizing the industry. I am sure that in 2021 we will see even more new brands and interesting projects on the territory of esports”.

Nielsen Sports, the global division of Nielsen, is an independent provider of analytics and consulting in the areas of fan research, sports marketing, and sponsorship. Nielsen has previously launched a global online platform, Fan Insights, where copyright holders, brand sponsors and organizers of sports events will be able to get comprehensive information about the audience of various sports around the world: their interests, brand attitudes, media consumption and buying habits.

ESforce Holding is one of the biggest esports organizations in the world and the leader of the Russian esports. The holding company unites all esports business key areas: from its own professional esports club to organization of international tournaments, and from content creation and broadcasting to advertising and infrastructure projects.

ESforce Holding’s business include:

● Virtus.pro, the most renowned and popular esports club in Russia;

● RuHub Studio, the leading Russian-speaking esports broadcasting studio;

● Cybersport.ru, the main esports media in CIS;

● EPICENTER, the largest esports tournament series in CIS;

● Yota Arena, esports-entertainment venue.

ESforce’s resources cover more than 90% of the esports audience in Russia and CIS, as well as a significant segment of the international audience. A marketing agency — a member of the holding — ensures the synergy of the holding’s business units with the clients and partners in mind.

data providers

DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026

Published

2 days ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

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.

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energy drinks

Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier

Published

3 days ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

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

Published

4 days ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

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.

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