eSports
Esports Insider & the University of Warwick announce the agenda for ESI Next Gen, the UK’s first conference dedicated to esports and video games in education
The leading B2B esports events and media company, Esports Insider (ESI) and the University of Warwick are pleased to reveal the agenda for the inaugural ESI Next Gen, a one-and-a-half day conference dedicated to esports and video games in education. Offering interactive sessions, networking and insights on March 22nd-23rd, 2023 at the University’s Esports Centre.
The UK has steadily increased the number of esports-focused qualifications on offer, moving beyond competitive play there are now 39 esports courses through 14 providers (according to UCAS) across the UK, now providing three-year degrees or Higher Education courses on the wider industry or specific aspects such as Event Management, Digital Marketing, or Coaching, Health and Well-Being.
As two leading authorities in esports business and education, Esports Insider and University of Warwick have crafted the first ever ESI Next Gen conference to bring together leaders from universities and colleges from across the UK and beyond, alongside professionals from both the esports and games industries to discuss the skills the industry can offer young people. This includes game developers, publishers, esports teams, tournament operators, education sector service providers, and regional government all under one roof, right on the doorstep of one of the UK’s largest creative clusters. There’ll be ample industry related and education-focused content, as well as extensive networking opportunities and interactive workshops for students looking to get into the industry.
The event is supported by Gold Sponsor IN4 Group, Official Youth Esports Partner Esports Coaching Academy and event partners Chillblast, Viperio, NSE, Esport1, Swipe Right PR, UKIE and NUEL. ESI Next Gen is set to welcome over 250 attendees, with over 30+ speakers across more than 9 live sessions.
Speakers this year include educators & industry executives such as:
- Meg Daintith, Talent Acquisition Manager at Electronic Arts
- Phil Bale, Operations Manager at Ubisoft Leamington
- Kalam Neale, Head of Education at British Esports
- Gina Jackson OBE, Founder of SKILLfull
- Ólafur Steinarsson, Co-founder & COO at Esports Coaching Academy
- Mikayla Sinead, Founder & CEO at Bridge Network Group
- James Fraser-Murison, Director of Esports at Queen Marys College
- Becky Wright, Senior Partnerships Manager at NSE
- Dr Bianca Wright, Curriculum Lead: Immersive and Associate Professor at Coventry University
- Shahneila Saeed, Programme Director for Digital Schoolhouse
At ESI Next Gen, there will be five panels and two workshops, all designed to support education staff, industry stakeholders and students equally. The event will explore leadership in esports and gaming education, navigating the obstacles of curriculum development, potential graduate opportunities, policy matters, and sector growth.
Esports Coaching Academy will host a ‘Pathways to Building a Career and Business in Grassroots Youth Esports’ workshop, which will provide attendees with valuable insights and resources on the grassroots esports industry and how to build a career and business in it. Topics will include the current landscape of youth esports, career pathways, business opportunities and best practices in grassroots esports.
Sam Cooke, Managing Director and Founder at ESI stated: “We are delighted to be working with the University of Warwick for our first inaugural ESI Next Gen. This event will provide a great opportunity to explore and promote the collaborative relationship between the esports and video game industries and educational institutions, so as to create a strong foundation for the new emerging talent.”
The event will kick off with a networking social and the final of Lions Clash, a Valorant tournament for UK universities and colleges, followed by an evening reception on 22nd March 2023, allowing attendees to register early, experience a live esports event, and network in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
Jack Fenton, Head of Esports at University of Warwick says: “This is a huge landmark for Warwick as co-creating the ESI: Next Gen concept has been an exciting strategic goal for both us and for Esports Insider. I know that this will be the Esports Centre’s biggest and most impactful event to-date and we’re really proud to be acting as a catalyst for the creative and digital sector. I can’t wait to see the collaboration that spins out of this event!”
Join us for ESI Next Gen 2023 to celebrate the convergence of esports, video games and education on March 22-23 at the Esports Centre, Coventry.
Bring your team of 3 or more and save with our Group Registration rates. Currently enrolled students may register to attend #ESINextGen at a special discounted rate. Tickets are available now, including an option for inclusive accommodation.
eSports
Abios names co-founder Anton Janér as new Managing Director
Abios, the esports subsidiary of Kambi Group plc, has appointed CTO Anton Janér as its new Managing Director, succeeding Abios’ long-term CEO Oskar Bonnevier Fröberg who has stepped down to pursue new endeavours.
Having co-founded the company alongside Fröberg in 2013, Janér assumed leadership of Abios as Managing Director effective from 1 May. He brings extensive experience in technology to his new role, as well as a deep understanding of the esports market, and as CTO was instrumental in the development of Abios’ market-leading esports solutions.
Spearheaded by Fröberg for more than 10 years, Abios has witnessed incredible growth since launch, expanding the company to reach millions of esports fans, power scores of businesses in esports, media, betting, and entertainment sectors, and employ roughly 70 people worldwide.
Furthermore, Fröberg successfully navigated Abios through its acquisition by Kambi Group, a leading sports betting technology company, in 2021. Bonnevier Fröberg played a pivotal role in ensuring a smooth integration within the Kambi Group, further solidifying Abios’ position within the esports betting landscape.
Janér said: “I am honored to take on the role of Managing Director and lead Abios into its next chapter. Oskar and I have had a lot of fun together throughout the years at Abios, building the company into the industry leader it is today. I am very excited about the future of Abios and eager to take the business to new heights alongside our excellent team.”
Fröberg added: “It is with mixed emotions that I have resigned as CEO of Abios. This decision has not been an easy one, as I have dedicated more than 10 years of my life to building and leading this organisation together with Anton. However, we could not have found a better home for Abios than Kambi nor could I have found a better successor than Anton, giving me every confidence that Abios will only flourish moving forward.”
The post Abios names co-founder Anton Janér as new Managing Director appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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.
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