eSports
RIOT GAMES, FREAKS 4U GAMING and SPORTFIVE partner up to produce and commercialize the 2021 VALORANT CHAMPIONS TOUR
Riot Games and Freaks 4U Gaming have agreed to a partnership for the tournament organization and broadcasting of the 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour. SPORTFIVE complements the partnership as a comprehensive marketing partner for the Challengers, Challenger Finals and Last Chance Qualifiers in Europe, CIS countries and Turkey.
Esports publisher Riot Games, Freaks 4U Gaming, one of the leading esports content creators worldwide, and global sports business agency SPORTFIVE have joined forces to establish and commercialize the first edition of the VALORANT Champions Tour in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Turkey.
Last November, Riot Games announced the 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour as a global competitive gaming ecosystem with the goal of making VALORANT the next big cross-generational esports title.
For broadcasting and tournament organization in Europe, CIS countries, and Turkey, Riot Games has secured the full expertise of Freaks 4U Gaming, building upon their existing League of Legends collaboration in the German speaking markets. As well as producing the main broadcasts in each territory, Freaks 4U Gaming will also localize the broadcasts in German (via Agent’s Range) and French (via 1PV).
To ensure the best possible coverage on the marketing side, SPORTFIVE complements the strategic collaboration to acquire potent partners for the 2021 VALORANT Challengers, Challenger Finals and Last Chance Qualifiers in Europe, CIS countries and Turkey together with Freaks 4U Gaming as a co-commercialization partner.
Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports for Europe and MENA at Riot Games, said:
“We couldn’t be more excited to launch our partnership with Freaks 4U Gaming and SPORTFIVE to bring the future of VALORANT esports to Europe, Turkey, and the CIS. Both companies bring a wealth of experience, expertise, and enthusiasm to the table and I’m confident that together we will build something fans love.”
Michael Haenisch, CEO at Freaks 4U Gaming, said:
”We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Riot Games and to closely collaborate on the creation of the VALORANT esports eco-system by producing and broadcasting the 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour in Europe, CIS and Turkey. Together with Riot Games and SPORTFIVE, we aim to build a sustainable foundation for VALORANT esports by establishing meaningful brand partnerships leading to a great player and viewer experience.”
Thomas Ottl, Executive Director Global Esports at SPORTFIVE, added:
“Being responsible for the marketing mandate for one of the hottest esports titles of the upcoming years is a tremendous pleasure for us. With our expertise and our global sales force, we’re excited to open up a unique opportunity for brands to become a top-tier partner. Furthermore, to enlarge our portfolio within our partnership with Freaks 4U Gaming and Riot Games makes us excited and is a great next step in our relationship.”
Earlier this month the VALORANT Champions Tour kicked off in Europe with the first of three Challenger tournaments in Stage 01, followed by the first of three Challenger tournaments in the CIS and Turkey last weekend. During the Challengers, participating teams play for a total prize pool of EUR 177,500 and the qualification for the first 2021 VALORANT Masters event in March, where additional USD 300,000 prize money will be at stake.
The three Regional Challengers and the Masters will be played entirely online with top matches streamed on the respective Twitch and YouTube streams.
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Baltics
DATA.BET Now Powers Esports for Entain NCE Across Baltics & Nordics
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DATA.BET, a leading sportsbook solution supplier, has signed a content deal with Entain NCE, to strengthen the esports betting offer of their brands (Optibet and Klondaika) across the Baltics and Nordics – with Estonia as a key rollout market.
Through the collaboration, Entain and its portfolio of brands will receive DATA.BET’s premium esports coverage. The package includes a comprehensive Odds Feed, Risk Management, Bet Builder and a suite of engagement Widgets – Pitch Tracker (interactive 2D map), Scoreboards (visual representation of player statistics), live Video Streaming, Statistical Widgets (team history and game stats) and a Multi Widget that unites all these tools within one screen. The partnership is designed to help Entain brands and their clients increase profitability in esports by combining precise pricing and risk controls with engagement tools that lift turnover and margin.
With the deal, Entain’s customers get access to DATA.BET’s 30+ disciplines and over 10,000 monthly events, delivered with a down-to-the-second bet delay across leading titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Valorant, League of Legends and others. A phased expansion of additional disciplines and features will follow to meet Entain’s demand.
“This partnership sets a high bar for product excellence. Our role is to power that ambition with an esports layer that’s rich in content and strong on risk, enabling consistent margins and a best-in-class customer experience. We’ve aligned on a clear roadmap to scale, with more Entain brands scheduled to join the rollout next,” said Otto Bonning, Head of Sales at DATA.BET.
“We are thrilled to partner with DATA.BET who are renown for being the leading Esports provider and who share the same passion and commitment for Esports as we do. DATA.BET’s deep understanding of the esports ecosystem and its growing influence among modern audiences makes the collaboration a perfect fit. Together, we aim to elevate esports and deliver the best experience and entertainment to the fans across Baltics and Nordics regions,” said Hendrik Ahuna, Director of Sportsbook at Entain NCE.
The post DATA.BET Now Powers Esports for Entain NCE Across Baltics & Nordics appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
FURIA Pulls Off the Reverse Sweep to Win Thunderpick World Championship 2025
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Thunderpick, the leading esports betting platform delivering fans cutting-edge tools and experiences, announced that FURIA has emerged victorious at the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 — one of the tournament’s most competitive editions yet, featuring four of the world’s top 10 ranked teams. FURIA takes home the $500,000 first-place prize, with KSCERATO earning his first Grand Final MVP.
FURIA’s steady performance and relentless focus were on full display throughout the tournament, culminating in a Finals victory over Natus Vincere. After NAVI went up two maps to zero, FURIA did what many thought was impossible and completed a dominant reverse sweep with a 13:1 on the decisive map.
Natus Vincere finished second place, earning $150,000. The MongolZ, who won the Thunderpick World Championship last year, finished third after defeating Aurora earlier in the day, receiving $70,000 and $50,000, respectively. Venom, 9z, Imperial and OG all placed fifth through eighth, taking home $20,000 each.
“It is a privilege to congratulate FURIA as the Thunderpick World Champions! This tournament was thrilling, featuring exceptional gameplay. The success of our World Championship is thanks to the incredible teams, streamers, partners, staff, and everyone behind the scenes who made it possible, as well as the passionate fans who make this event so special,” said Kelly Sanders, Head of Strategy at Thunderpick.
This year marks the third consecutive Thunderpick World Championship. Last year, The MongolZ stunned HEROIC to claim their third international title of the season, cementing their status on the global CS2 stage. In 2023, FaZe Clan took the crown after defeating Virtus.pro, with Robin “ropz” Kool earning the MVP title. The TWC 2025 Finals are presented in collaboration with Hotspawn, a leading hub for esports news and analysis.
The post FURIA Pulls Off the Reverse Sweep to Win Thunderpick World Championship 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Betting
LEON Esports announces partnership with GamerLegion’s CS2 team
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LEON Esports is excited to announce a new partnership with GamerLegion’s Counter-Strike 2 team — a leading German esports organization ranked among the top 15 teams in the world, renowned for its consistent top-tier performances.
This collaboration marks a new chapter for LEON Esports, as the brand continues to expand its presence in competitive gaming. Over the years, LEON has become an active force in esports — supporting professional teams and hosting its own tournaments across titles like CS2, Dota, Free Fire and Deadlock.
Together with GamerLegion, LEON Esports aims to bring even more action and engagement to fans — with exclusive offers, special markets, social media giveaways, and more challenges made for true esports and betting enthusiasts.
This partnership follows LEON’s successful collaborations with other major esports organizations such as SAW (Portugal), FlyQuest (Australia), and NFA (Brazil) — strengthening its position as one of the key players in the global esports scene.
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The post LEON Esports announces partnership with GamerLegion’s CS2 team appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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