eSports
Team Vitality and adidas reveal League of Legends Open Tour roster
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The new semi-pro team ‘Yellow Stripes’ will compete in the League of Legends Open Tour 2022 and benefit from Team Vitality and adidas’ unrivalled performance infrastructure, training alongside the likes of Perkz and Alphari
Team Vitality is pleased to reveal its new semi-pro League of Legends roster for 2022, in partnership with adidas. Yellow Stripes is made up of some of the most promising rising stars in League of Legends who will compete in the 2022 League of Legends Open Tour France. The new team will be powered by the same performance staff and facilities as Team Vitality pro players competing at the highest level to unlock their full potential. As main sponsor of Yellow Stripes for 2022, adidas will provide world class support to the team, including designing a bespoke jersey and a professional athlete, as a mentor to accompany the team throughout the year, give advice from his career and provide all the experience a young team needs to get started.
The Yellow Stripes roster is made up of:
- Matias “matias” Manchin Opheltes, France, 21 years old, AD Carry
- Long-time competitor who has been playing League of Legends since season 5, and took part in the competitive season in the Portuguese League in 2021
- Alexis “Artoria” Diebold, France, 19 years old, Mid Laner
- Played competitively in the France open tour in 2020 before doing a split at MCES Italy this summer and it is his goal to reach Worlds.
- Lorenzo “Linkkey” Giorgiutti, France, 22 years old, Support,
- Played League of Legends competitively since he was 16 and went pro in 2020
- Julian “eaRyz” Wehinger, France, 21 years old, Jungler
- Began competing in League of Legends full-time in 2021 following successful performances in Open Tour France in 2019 and 2020
- John “Sotsy” Sicre, France, 23 years old, Top Laner
- Began competing in League of Legends in 2019 and has since performed well in both the Nordic UKCL and Open Tour Benelux
The team will be coached by Benjamin “Fara” Stoffel and seasoned League of Legends caster and content creator Martin “Krok” Berthelot will act as team manager. The team will have full access to Team Vitality performance facilities including V.Hive, their cutting-edge public esports complex, V.Performance in the Stade de France, and the Berlin coaching house. Yellow Stripes are the third Team Vitality League of Legends roster, joining the newly revealed LEC super team and LFL squad.
Yellow Stripes will make their stage debut on January 29th when the League of Legends Open Tour France begins, the annual semi-pro year-long competition, allowing rising stars to benefit from the environment of top tier pro LAN competition. The Open Tour France gives the next generation of pro players the opportunity to graduate to division 2, and be in with a slight chance to be recruited to the LFL.
“We are proud to invest resources into the amateur scene. This project is a unique opportunity for these young players to learn and grow into what we hope will be a great sporting career in the future. They have challenges ahead of them, but we have every ambition to get them to the final of the Open Tour.” Said Fabien “Neo” Devide, Co-Founder and Esports Director, Team Vitality. “We’re delighted to have a partner in adidas who is not just interested in having their brand represented on the biggest stages in esports, but are committed to helping develop and support the pros of tomorrow”
“True to our belief that through sport we have the power to change lives, we are very proud to participate to this program. adidas supports all athletes who want to make a difference in the way they play, regardless of their sports. Launching ‘Yellow Stripes’ initiative with Team Vitality is rooted in our brand DNA and in the way we want to challenge sports industry codes.” said Sylvain Bouches, VP Director Brand for adidas France.
Yellow Stripes marks the latest collaboration from Team Vitality and adidas in one of the longest standing partnerships in esports. adidas was the first sports kit supplier to invest in the French esports market with Team Vitality in 2017, and together they have created the first-ever esports sneaker, the VIT.01, which sold out worldwide within a week, and created the first sports jersey especially for an esports team. To capture the progress of Yellow Stripes, the brands will collaborate on an eight-episode documentary series following the teams’ progress in the Open Tour.
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Asia
Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League
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The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s premier multi-title esports tournament hosted by Hero Esports, has officially announced the addition of VALORANT to its inaugural lineup.
Previously, ACL unveiled six game titles: Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Honor of Kings, Teamfight Tactics, Delta Force, and Crossfire. With VALORANT joining the roster, the total number of games now stands at seven, with more titles expected to be announced soon.
Through continued collaboration with the Esports World Cup, ACL has revealed that the champions of the ACL CS2 and Honor of Kings Tournaments will secure direct entry to the Esports World Cup. Further collaborations on the remaining titles of the ACL are anticipated.
The ACL VALORANT Tournament will be the only international-level VALORANT tournament held in China during the first half of 2025, attracting top teams from overseas. The Final of the event will take place offline in Shanghai. The event will use world-class production and cutting-edge live broadcasting technology to enhance audience experience.
The ACL is set to take place in the first half of 2025, with the Finals of the ACL CS2 Tournament and Honor of Kings Tournament scheduled for May. The ACL will have a total prize pool of $2 million.
Jonny Wang, CEO of the Asian Champions League, said: “We are excited to announce the addition of VALORANT to the ACL. Our ambition is to make ACL into a truly comprehensive tournament, providing a larger stage for players and teams across various competitions while delivering more exciting content for our audience.”
Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports, said: “We are pleased by the progress of the ACL and its ability to attract top teams and titles to compete across Asia. We look forward to the continued collaboration between Hero Esports, ACL and the Esports World Cup Foundation, which is testament to our shared ambition to shape and empower esports globally.”
The post Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent
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Partnership to drive EWC’s expansion in China, leveraging Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced a partnership with Tencent, making Tencent E-sports the EWCF’s strategic partner in China to drive the expansion of the Esports World Cup’s presence in the region. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the EWCF’s purpose to unite global esports fans under one competitive umbrella and underscores its commitment to integrating the world’s most important and rapidly growing esports market into the Esports World Cup platform. The agreement was formalized at the Empower Esports Worldwide Series – The Esports Operation and Technology Session in Shenzhen, China.
The collaboration will establish a dedicated Development Team to enhance EWC’s visibility, engagement, and industry collaboration in China, while leveraging EWC’s and Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem. Tencent E-sports will provide marketing expertise, strategic consulting, and operational support to deliver diverse content and experiences.
“The Esports World Cup has created a global stage for competitive gaming, demonstrating its influence not only in China but across the world,” said Mars Hou, Vice President of Tencent Games and General Manager of Tencent E-sports. “Through this partnership, we are committed to elevating EWC’s presence in China and integrating our esports industry with the world’s largest competitive gaming event. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with EWCF to push esports forward on a global scale.”
“The Esports World Cup’s purpose is to create a global platform for esports and gaming fans worldwide, and investing in key growth markets for esports is a core pillar of our mission,” said Thamer Al Shuaibi, Chief of Staff at the Esports World Cup Foundation. “China plays a critical role in this vision, and Tencent’s leadership in gaming and esports positions it as an essential partner. By combining our expertise, we will continue to strengthen esports as an industry, providing new opportunities for Chinese players and Clubs, and bringing the best of the Esports World Cup to Chinese fans.”
Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool in a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best players, Clubs and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025
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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) implemented its comprehensive anti-doping testing program at IEM Katowice 2025, organised by ESL FACEIT Group (EFG). Conducted at EFG’s request, this initiative reinforced the commitment of both organisations to maintaining the highest standards of competitive integrity in esports.
ESIC’s anti-doping procedures, carried out in accordance with the ESIC Anti-Doping Code, ensured that all participating competitors at IEM Katowice adhered to globally recognised best practices. The programme featured advanced testing protocols, thorough monitoring and rigorous enforcement measures, all designed to uphold fair competition.
“At ESIC, our mission is to protect the integrity of the esports ecosystem. By deploying our anti-doping testing at IEM Katowice 2025, we reaffirmed our dedication to supporting event organizers like EFG in hosting competitions where athletes compete responsibly and ethically,” Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said.
Over the past few years, ESIC has administered more than 700 anti-doping tests at major esports events, including those hosted by EFG. This extensive experience further cements ESIC’s reputation for providing industry-leading services that prioritise player welfare, competitive fairness and a culture of transparency.
“Protecting integrity is paramount for esports, which is why EFG and ESIC are constantly working together to ensure fair competition. ESIC have proven themselves to have the experience, as well as an advanced system that provides the credibility and peace of mind needed at one of our biggest and most prestigious events, IEM Katowice,” Carsten Kramer, Director of Tournament Management at EFG, said.
The post ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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