eSports
BLAST to operate the Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) and the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) in expanded multi-year deal
-
Deepened collaboration with Epic Games will see BLAST operate the FNCS and RLCS, starting in 2024
-
Esports entertainment company to oversee event production, broadcast, marketing and commercial rights for both games’ competitive scenes
BLAST has announced a multi-year deal and collaboration with Epic Games to run their prestigious competitive tournaments, the Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) and Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS), starting in 2024.
BLAST will run all operations of competitions, event production, and marketing of the RLCS and FNCS. BLAST will also be responsible for the commercial rights of both games’ competitive broadcasts and events, a first for the FNCS.
The announcement is an expansion of BLAST’s previous partnership with Competitive Fortnite, where the esports entertainment company delivered a number of FNCS events across the last three years, including October’s successful FNCS Global Championship in Copenhagen’s packed out Royal Arena where $4 million USD in total prize pool was up for grabs. The FNCS Global Championship is the fourth most-watched Competitive Fortnite event of all time with over 725,000 peak viewers.
Leo Matlock, Chief Business Officer for BLAST, said: “We are immensely proud to announce this momentous multi-year deal with Epic Games. We believe this partnership represents the future of competitive gaming, where organisations like BLAST are able to work in tandem with world-leading publishers to create incredible experiences for players and teams to compete at the top level in front of fans all over the world.
“Pioneering positive change in esports has always been part of the BLAST DNA and this announcement is an amazing continuation of that journey. Working together with the world’s biggest game publishers to elevate and grow their competitive properties has been a huge area of focus for BLAST in recent years. This collaboration is testament to that hard work and we are delighted to expand our relationship with Epic Games by operating the Rocket League Championship Series in addition to the Fortnite Championship Series.”
BLAST first teamed up with Competitive Fortnite in 2021, when delivering the FNCS All-Star Showdown and FNCS Grand Royale events.
This was followed by the partnership deepening further, where BLAST operated the entire 2022 and 2023 FNCS schedules and November 2022’s FNCS Invitational in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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.
Gaming CEOs Optimistic on Industry Outlook, Report Evolving Industry Challenges
Arizona Department of Gaming Releases February Sports Betting Figures
New Hampshire Lottery Joins Mega Money Jackpots
THE MONEYMAKER TOUR PARTNERS WITH THE CARIBBEAN POKER SERIES TO HOST FIRST INTERNATIONAL MAIN EVENT
New focus for safer gambling as Clarion confirms launch of Sustainable Gambling Zone
Play’n GO digs deep for the treasures of ancient kings
Atlas-IAC’s CEO Maxim Slobodyanyuk Talks Winning Strategies & Vision for Future Growth in the iGaming Sector
Paddy Power launches new innovative Checkd Dev betting tool Mix ‘N Match
Continent 8 Technologies adds Cloudflare to its leading Cloud Connect solution
HAWKS TALON GC SET FOR THE STEAL ON APRIL 19TH FOR CHANCE TO ENTER NBA 2K LEAGUE 3V3 PLAYOFF
-
gaming2 years agoODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory7 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News6 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News5 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry6 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News5 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry6 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News6 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018
