

eSports
LEADING PRODUCER LAUNCHES SPORTS & ESPORTS AGENCY
Leading UK sports producer, Amanda Lawson announced the launch of Hang Loose Media Group, a company specialising in sports and esports production and content.
An industry powerhouse, known for her honest and friendly approach, Lawson is stepping out on her own following 25 years of industry success working for some of the world’s leading brands and organisations such as Octagon CSI, IMG, ITV Sport, UFC and Gfinity.
She will bring to her clients a serious black book of global contacts and extensive experience working with sport federations, promoters, agencies, brands, OTT platforms, networks and the most respected talent and creatives in the world.
Lawson has worked successfully on either side of the digital wave. She can balance traditional tactics and output with digital advancements and tailors content perfectly for a target audience, an approach and understanding demonstrated through her time leading production for UFC and Gfinity.
Hang Loose will thrive on building and maintaining long-standing relationships, providing high-end content and ensuring client satisfaction. Positioning themselves as ‘an end-to-end production partner’ the agency will support clients in every aspect of their production needs, from ideation to final product and everything in between, scaling their team appropriately for each project.
Lawson lives and breathes all things content and her passion for the sector she works in is plain to see she said: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing brands, organisations, companies and people over the past 25 years. I feel so lucky to have forged a career doing what I love and I think that shines through in my work and in the long-standing relationships I have built across the industry. I’m incredibly excited for my next chapter channelling my passion, expertise and creativity into Hang Loose and our clients.’
Highlights
- Creative mind behind content and production successes at leading companies including ITV Sports, UFC and Gfinity.
- Bringing 25 years of expertise to her new agency, Lawson has worked successfully on either side of the digital wave. She can balance traditional tactics and output with digital advancements and tailors content perfectly for a target audience.
- At the height of UFC’s popularity and growth in Europe, Lawson was UFC’s Director of Production across EMEA. She led all original content initiatives and built a world-class production team to deliver every live UFC event across the region.
- As Head of Production Operations for ITV Sport, the UK’s leading terrestrial broadcaster, she was responsible for overseeing the production of the channel’s sports output, including the live coverage of UEFA Champions League, England Internationals, the FA Cup, French Open tennis, IPL, Boxing and Motorsport and the critically acclaimed documentary series, “Sports Life Stories.”
- Throughout her career in production, Lawson has headed up production operations across many major sporting events including 3 FIFA World Cups , 3 UEFA European Championships and 2 Rugby World Cups.
- Lawson instantly boosted Gfinity’s production capabilities when she joined in 2017 and helped them to increase their commercial growth. Lawson was the creative mind behind Gfinity’s Elite Series from staging to talent, production, transmission and distribution. The series ran for 4 seasons and produced over 300 hours of live broadcasts across FIFA, Rocket League, CS:GO and Streetfighter. Lawson’s success with the Elite Series for Gfinity led them to become the producers of the Formula 1 Esports Series and the ePremier League, which she led and managed across multiple seasons.
eSports
PandaScore and Playbook Engineering join forces

Pioneering esports odds, data and betting products provider now available to operators powered by leading platform supplier with the integration facilitated by Sporting Solutions
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports odds, data and betting products, has integrated its suite of solutions with Playbook Engineering, the global sportsbook platform provider.
The partnership has been facilitated by Sporting Solutions, which has strategic partnerships with both PandaScore and Playbook Engineering.
Playbook Engineering has established itself as a leading sportsbook platform provider, supporting brands such as Star Sports, AK Bets, Priced Up, Bet Wright, Gentleman Jim, and Dragon Bet.
Following the integration, online sportsbooks powered by Playbook Engineering can access PandaScore’s Odds feed allowing them to offer comprehensive and competitive esports odds for some of the most popular disciplines.
The scope of markets and the value of odds are unrivalled with PandaScore using sophisticated models backed by a team of experienced traders including specialist traders for disciplines like CS2, Dota 2 and LoL.
A growing number of platform providers and operators are making a move into the lucrative esports betting space, with PandaScore recently surpassing €1bn of bets through its platform off the back of a sharp rise in demand among players and operators.
Joseph Noone, Senior Sales Manager at PandaScore, said: “Playbook Engineering powers some renowned sportsbooks as well as up and coming brands that are really making an impact.
“It’s great that these sportsbooks can access our esports odds, data and betting products, allowing them to engage new and existing player cohorts with a compelling esports offering that stands out when it comes to the range and value of odds.
“The integration wouldn’t have been possible without our shared partner Sporting Solutions, and stands as an example of what can be achieved when providers work together.”
Luke Cousins, Commercial Director at Playbook Engineering, added: “Sportsbook operators simply can’t ignore the demand for esports betting and in PandaScore, we have a premium odds, data and betting product provider that lives and breathes esports.
“This partnership, done through our mutual friends, Sporting Solutions, further positions Playbook Engineering as a tier-one platform provider to some of the most exciting sportsbook brands around the world. This makes it a win for us, our partners and their players.”
The post PandaScore and Playbook Engineering join forces appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Four Countries Shortlisted to Host GOTF 2027

Phygital International (PI), the exclusive rights holders and custodians of The Games of the Future (GOTF), announced that Brazil, Serbia, South Africa, and Uzbekistan are the shortlisted applicants to host GOTF 2027. The Games of the Future is the world’s leading phygital sports tournament, bringing together sports and esports athletes from around the world.
With the UAE set to host GOTF 2025 and Kazakhstan in 2026, the competition for the 2027 edition has drawn significant interest from nations eager to position themselves as leaders in the world of phygital sports.
Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, said: “We received bids from right around the world which highlights the growing awareness and passion for phygital sports globally. We would like to thank all the nations who bid to host The Games of the Future 2027 and are pleased to announce that Brazil, Serbia, South Africa, and Uzbekistan have been selected as the nations shortlisted as potential hosts.”
Following further evaluations and detailed assessments of each finalist’s proposal, the final decision on the host country for GOTF 2027 will be announced in the summer of 2025.
The post Four Countries Shortlisted to Host GOTF 2027 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League

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.
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