eSports
Jarno Opmeer and Red Bull lead F1 Esports Pro Series at halfway mark after Zandvoort, Montreal & Spielberg rounds
The F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco continued with three dramatic rounds of racing in Event 2 at Zandvoort, Montreal and Spielberg, as some drivers begin to pull away in the fight for this year’s huge $750,000 prize pot.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic drivers are racing remotely for the first time this year, but the popular live shows continue to be broadcast from the Gfinity Esports Arena in London, as we ensure fans don’t miss a moment of the action.
On Wednesday evening, drivers took to the Circuit Zandvoort, which was due to make a long-awaited return to Formula 1 this season before the pandemic hit, but the action on the virtual version of the F1 2020 official video game developed by Codemasters, did not disappoint. Red Bull’s Frederik Rasmussen took victory in the Event 2 opener for his first win of the season, ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Jarno Opmeer and his teammate Marcel Kiefer who made up the top three.
Wednesday’s double-header continued with a visit to a fan and driver favourite, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. The heavy-braking chicanes made for a tense spectacle, which saw Opmeer take his third victory of the season despite a late collision with Ferrari’s David Tonizza (technical issues meant he was unable to see Tonizza’s car), with Rasmussen and Kiefer also joining him on the podium for the second time that day.
Event 2 ended on Thursday evening where the rescheduled 2020 F1 season began, at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Despite it being one of the shortest circuits on the calendar, what it lacks in length, it makes up for in speed as we witnessed a high-paced battle to the end, that saw Kiefer take victory for his first win of the season after some fantastic teamwork alongside Rasmussen, who finished in P2 . Opmeer was on the podium again in P3 to finish the first half of the season with a solid result.
This week’s results mean Alfa Romeo’s Opmeer leads the way in the driver standings, whilst Red Bull top the team’s championship at the halfway stage.
Attention now turns to the penultimate event, on 18-19 November, as we get set for another three mouthwatering races at a trio of iconic circuits. Event 3 will see drivers go wheel-to-wheel at Silverstone, before we head to Spa and Monza, in what could be the fastest round of the season.
The live show was streamed online via F1’s official channels on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Huya, as well as broadcast by international television partners such as ESPN (US), Sky (UK) and Ziggo (Netherlands).
Following a huge year for F1 Esports, which saw over 30 million people tune in to the Virtual Grand Prix Series, more people than ever want to get involved. The second and final dedicated qualifying event for the 2021 F1 Esports Series is now open until the end of November on F1 2020, the newly-released official videogame developed by Codemasters. For more information visit www.f1esports.com.
Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports at Formula 1 said:
“The F1 Esports Pro Series presented by Aramco continues to deliver as we were treated to three more thrilling races in Event 2 at some fantastic circuits, including a superb first outing at Zandvoort. Jarno Opmeer and Red Bull lead the standings at the halfway mark after some brilliant performances in the first two events, but there is plenty of racing to come this season and I’m looking forward to seeing them fight to keep hold of their leads.”
Frank Sagnier, CEO at Codemasters said:
“Despite lockdown, the F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco continues to lead the way in competitive gaming entertainment. The field is starting to take shape, and it looks like Jarno Opmeer, Marcel Kiefer andFrede Rasmussen are the ones to watch. From an F1 2020 video game perspective, it was terrific to see Circuit Zandvoort make its maiden appearance on the F1 calendar.”
John Clarke, CEO at Gfinity said:
“20 world class drivers, virtually connected from different parts of the world, pushing themselves and their cars to the limits. Event 2 delivered yet again, raising the bar for tension and excitement. Together Gfinity and Formula 1 are demonstrating the future of live sporting broadcasts when participants cannot be in the same location. This is truly a product for the times.”
For more information on the F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco visit www.f1esports.com.
Angela Bernhard Thomas
CAPCOM’S STREET FIGHTERTM 6 GOING TO COLLEGE THIS FALL
- CSMG will create and operate College Street FighterTM Tour in North America for the 2024-25 academic year
- College conference Street Fighter 6 champions will punch their ticket to the national Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) & May Madness in 2025
eSports
R&D rethink needed for sportsbooks to harness esports’ power
Esports betting is still grappling with a perception problem amongst operators. Despite the leaps and bounds in product development made by suppliers – particularly in the last two years – esports hasn’t shaken off the image built in the late 2010s.
Our good friend, Oliver Niner, Head of Sales at PandaScore, has been kind to share the below article with us.
There’s scepticism around esports betting’s value, how well it can actually perform and what’s needed to make it appeal to bettors. A big part of that comes down to perception, which shapes the research and development (R&D) choices made by each operator.
Self-fulfilling prophecy?
Operators who have put the research and development (R&D) resources into esports are seeing excellent growth, while others are still treating it like part of a long tail. The lack of a uniform approach to esports often translates into hesitancy to be bullish and invest in esports.
Whereas in the United States, post-PASPA sports betting has exploded and operators are seeking to capture as much territory and market share as possible because in most cases, you switch the lights on and the money comes in. It’s, of course, good business sense to take opportunities like this – you can apply the same templates used elsewhere on an incredibly lucrative market.
This kind of approach has been attempted for esports and hasn’t found the same success. Granted, the legislation for betting on esports has been somewhat slower than that of sports betting and iGaming.
However, bullish operators have acknowledged the fact that esports hasn’t found the same success in regulated states and asked what can be done differently, while for others, esports has been thrown into the too-hard basket or relegated to the bargain bucket.
For the latter, the fate of the esports vertical becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy – especially if an operator already using a budget esports product that throttles its very growth.
It takes two to tango
When esports is discussed in broader betting circles, you’ll often hear different versions of the same talking point: the problem with esports is no one is doing it well, it doesn’t innovate.
This argument is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Esports is a driver of innovation, and it is sportsbook R&D that is holding it back.
Multiple suppliers on the market are investing significant resources into R&D, and bullish operators are leveraging these product innovations to acquire new customers and create engagements made for the internet age.
There are understandable reasons why sports betting doesn’t innovate. It’s largely because operators focus on acquisition, entering new territories and spending money on data rights. But the actual R&D on sportsbook products is left lacking, with ever-increasing cost-per-acquisition (CPA) numbers a clear symptom of this.
It means that if an operator does decide to use or acquire an esports specialist supplier but does little to cater its product and attempts to just lay the sports betting template over the top, of course performance will be throttled.
It’s like putting a Ferrari engine in a Prius – no offence to Toyota or Prius owners.
The same problem exists on the platform supplier front. Platforms are understandably focused on compliance and getting customers live, not necessarily improving models or their products.
Even the idea that if you just acquire an innovative company the problem is solved or you have found the solution, doesn’t hold water. In many cases, the company is acquired and plenty of noise is made about it, but there’s little organisational investment in R&D afterwards.
It’s not just in esports
These problems extend to customer acquisition and marketing for most emerging markets, not just esports. There’s a rush to use the same old playbook in newer sectors because it’s easy.
The fantasy vs. house sector in the US is already experiencing an acquisition arms race. As analyst Dustin Gouker points out, deposit match bonuses for new users on fantasy vs house products have jumped from $100 to as high as $500 in some places.
This is the same race that played out in sports betting and despite the costs, there’s little effort from most operators to try something different. There’s less work when you just put the same acquisition template on an emerging sector and call it a day. This seems to be an accepted practice in the industry, for better or for worse.
Esports betting success requires ongoing dialogue
Rather than attempting to wedge esports into hegemonic sportsbook approaches, sportsbooks need to take a completely unique approach.
The fact is the betting sector has barely scratched the surface – communities of esports fans are still dormant. Canadian operator Rivalry has built a successful, esports-first business by embracing the ever-changing internet culture that esports inhabits. French esports organisation Karmine Corp recently sold out a 30,000-person stadium for an event with no prize money up for grabs.
Innovative products developed on the supplier side like microbetting and betbuilders are only half of the equation.
Maximising esports revenues requires institutional investment, ongoing R&D and collaboration between suppliers and operators to create products and experiences. This includes having staff on the operator side that can drive and push the product further, and crucially, rethinking current sportsbook strategies and practices.
Building experiences for betting’s greatest emerging market – one that caters to your future core audience – takes investment, innovation and a willingness to experiment. If the industry wants to make the most of the Millennial and Gen Z audience that will become its primary customers, investment into R&D and close collaboration between suppliers and operators is needed. Many hands makes light work.
eSports
ESIC Announces Establishment of Global Esports Industry Advisory Board
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) is pleased to announce the establishment of its Global Esports Industry Advisory Board, designed to enhance integrity and ethical practices across the esports landscape. The Advisory Board will serve a pivotal role by providing expert advice to ESIC’s Chief Executive Officer on a range of critical industry issues.
The primary function of the Advisory Board is to create a robust framework for integrity and fairness, setting a global benchmark for ethical conduct and fair competition in esports. The board will offer strategic insights, help shape policies governing fair play, liaise with key industry stakeholders, and act as ambassadors advocating for ethical practices.
ESIC has appointed two highly esteemed members to inaugurate this board:
- David Neichel, Senior Vice President of Public & International Affairs at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), joins the Advisory Board with over fifteen years of experience in the video games industry, including significant roles at Activision-Blizzard and Electronic Arts. David’s profound impact on international and public affairs initiatives makes him an invaluable addition to the board.
- Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST, also joins the Advisory Board, bringing a wealth of experience from his roles at Google and Disney, along with his leadership through major acquisitions. Robbie is celebrated for his strategic leadership and his instrumental role in elevating esports to a significant global entertainment platform.
The formation of the Advisory Board is an engagement that underscores the commitment of its members to upholding and promoting the highest standards of integrity within the esports industry. The board will meet as required to address strategic challenges and ensure that ESIC’s initiatives effectively meet current and future industry needs.
“Both David and Robbie bring a remarkable depth of knowledge and a passion for advancing the integrity of esports,” said Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC. “Their expertise will be crucial as we navigate the evolving landscape of esports and strive to maintain the integrity that our community expects and deserves.”
Robbie Douek, CEO at BLAST, said: “I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to support the Global Esports Industry Advisory Board and ESIC in their ambition to create the best and fairest environment possible for players, teams and fans.”
David Neichel, Senior Vice President of Public & International Affairs at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) also commented: “It is a true honour to join the Global Esports Industry Advisory Board and support ESIC’s successful journey. Fairplay and integrity are at the core of esports. We owe it to the players and to the fans and for a better endemic industry governance”
The post ESIC Announces Establishment of Global Esports Industry Advisory Board appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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