eSports
London’s OVO Arena Wembley Set to Host BLAST Premier Spring Final 2024
BLAST has teamed up with Live Nation, one of the world’s largest live entertainment companies, along with leading business growth and destination agency London & Partners to bring the Spring Final to London in June 2024. The partnership forms part of BLAST’s ambition to create the best esports experiences by working closely with destinations and the biggest and best live entertainment partners.
The event will bring the world’s best esports teams and players from all across the world to compete in London – four years since BLAST’s last event in the UK’s capital with the city’s second largest indoor venue set to host Counter-Strike’s elite.
The announcement aligns with London & Partners’ ambition to position England’s capital as a global hub for leading esports and gaming events in the future. The UK currently has an 8% share of the global esports industry, which is set to reach $1.6 billion by the end of this year.
Andrew Haworth, Programme Director for BLAST Premier, said: “London is renowned for hosting world-leading events in sport, music and entertainment with the city now setting its sights on being a leading destination for esports. We look forward to working with London & Partners and Live Nation to achieve this aim. Bringing the first BLAST Premier arena event of 2024 to London is an important and exciting first step in this journey.
“The OVO Arena Wembley is a state-of-the-art facility and will provide fans with the perfect setting to witness the most talented Counter-Strike and esports players go head-to-head for a $425,000 total prize pool and chance to qualify for the highly-anticipated World Final in December 2024.”
Ailsa Buck, Head of Major Events and City Experience at London & Partners said: “London is a global hub for innovation and creativity. It’s a city that embraces new experiences and concepts; making this event the ideal partnership. We’re looking forward to welcoming BLAST back to the capital. We cannot wait to see how this partnership will allow us to continue our esports journey, as well as contribute to making London a place for both work and play.”
Sean Ryman, Vice President, Sport and Family Entertainment, said: “BLAST Premier’s arrival in the UK heralds the start of an exciting new partnership, a pioneering venture for Live Nation UK in the world of esports. We are elated to join forces with BLAST Premier, contributing to their ongoing expansion and groundbreaking initiatives in the live arena.”
The Spring Final 2024 will be the biggest Counter-Strike event to take place in the UK since the London Major 2018, which took place in the OVO Arena Wembley and saw Danish organisation Astralis crowned champions.
All eight teams that eventually qualify for the Spring Final will be competing for a massive prize pool of $425,000 and a place in the highly anticipated World Final in December 2024.
The first two days of the event will be played behind closed doors in the arena while the Friday-Sunday (June 14-16) will be played in front of a packed out arena for each day.
Tickets for the event will go on presale from Wednesday, 25th October and general sale from Friday, 27th October.
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.
North Star Network has acquired Um Dois Esportes, a sports coverage and analysis site created from the merger of Gazeta Do Povo and Tribuna do Paraná in 2020.
Julien Josset, co-founder of North Star Network, said: “Thank you to the team at GRPCOM for their faith in us to take the brand forward. Um Dois Esportes is an established and renowned site in Paraná State, and we’re excited about the challenge of developing this asset.
“We’re happy to maintain the collaboration with the existing editorial team, and look forward to working with them, bringing our unique NSN approach, to take UDE forward.”
NSN’s signing of Um Dois Esportes is the media house’s fourth acquisition of 2024, following the recent deals to purchase UK-based SportsMole and MrFixitsTips, as well as Chilean site AlAireLibre, which was announced in March.
The latest addition to the North Star media portfolio joins existing assets including Top Mercato, Afrik-Foot, and Vringe. The Paris-based company already oversees a significant Brazilian operation, delivering over 6 million sessions per month, from the likes of Trivela, Premier League Brasil and Lakers Brasil.
NSN will retain Curitiba-based journalists from the Um Dois Esportes legacy team to maintain the asset’s unique tone and popular coverage of the Paraná sports scene across site and social.
Rafael Mello, Director of GRPCOM, said: “We were surprised by the interest, and initially had no intention of selling Um Dois, but as the conversations evolved, we realised this was a serious group with good intentions. We were very happy to see our project being valued by a large international group and going global, demonstrating the quality of the content we produced.
“We’re also proud that North Star inherited our journalists, who are truly responsible for the success of the product we offer readers every day.”
Alona Shevtsova
L&G esports team founded by Alona Shevtsova won the national Dragon EC Cup tournament
Ukrainian esports team L&G won the Dragon EC Cup tournament, held on the 20th of April by Dragon Esports Club. Four teams competed in the tournament’s final: Lazer Cats, L&G, which received a direct invitation to the final stage, EsportsBattle, and ThunderFlash, which had open qualifiers. During the Grand Final, the L&G team competed with Lazer Cats on Mirage, Anubis, and Vertigo maps.
“This victory is a testament to the exceptional talent and commitment of our players, as well as the collective effort of our coaching staff and support personnel,” said Alona Shevtsova, founder of L&G Esports. “We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and grateful for the unwavering support of our fans.”
L&G is among the top 5 Ukrainian teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It was founded in 2021. The previous name was Leogaming, and it was created on the initiative of the famous Alona Shevtsova from the fintech sector.
The team began competing in top tournaments and almost immediately made it to the Advanced division of the ESEA League Europe competition. The team also participated in and took prizes in European tournaments such as the SCL League, WhiteBit Crypto Open, Phoenix League, and local competitions. The team players are marat2k, r0ublE, kr1vda, kL1o, OneUn1que, rji (coach).
The winners received a 50,000 UAH prize. Dragon Esports Club also prepared a 15-skin giveaway for the broadcast’s viewers.
It is worth mentioning that the L&G team created its merch items, which are available for order worldwide. To get more information about the team, visit the L&G Instagram page, Twitch, or Telegram Channel.
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