

eSports
pHorum7 launches drive for greater inclusivity in sim racing
A new company has been established to support global initiatives to drive inclusivity and diversity in sim racing and esports. “pHorum7” (pH7) is made up of motorsport professionals whose collective experience covers decades, and who are driven by a desire to instil positive change.
The company recognises the challenges faced by so many wanting to break into seemingly impenetrable industries, while also seeing first-hand the need to open more opportunities for young people, regardless of their background.
As the spotlight on sim racing has intensified in recent years, so too has the need to address the all-important issues of equality, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. pHorum7 exists to contribute to motorsport’s wider efforts in this area and to offer an open, accessible platform that showcases the power of esports and sim racing to tackle societal issues.
pHorum7’s team includes agency CEO Claire Ritchie-Tomkins, sportscar racer Johnny Mowlem, motorsport professional Gary Ekerold and sports broadcaster Louise Beckett.
“We are committed to driving change and to open up esports and sim racing to the widest audience possible,” says pHorum7 co-founder Claire Ritchie-Tomkins. “We offer a neutral space, accessible to all, from which we endeavour to drive positive change to tackle negative issues.”
First Among Equals – The Floor is Yours
An important part of pHorum7’s vision will be to host tournaments that are accessible for sim racers of all backgrounds, and to offer a safe, equal platform to compete. The first tournament, First Among Equals, will take place at the end of November with the chance for the winner to drive the Williams Advanced Engineering simulator. There will also be the potential for competitors who demonstrate the right talent and attributes to experience real-world racing with a Le Mans Prototype through pHorum7’s connection to Red River Sport, which is run by Johnny Mowlem.
Ritchie-Tomkins adds: “We all have a collective responsibility to play a part in making motorsport accessible for everybody, regardless of age, gender, race or background. We have a passionate team of people in pHorum7, and we are looking forward to working with likeminded people to offer an open, accessible platform from which to showcase the power of esports and sim racing to tackle these issues.”
Partnership with D-BOX
The new company is also partnering with D-BOX, the Canadian-based leader in immersive motion technologies for sim racing, esports and other applications, and the first and only haptic system to be officially endorsed by the FIA.
D-BOX Vice-President of Marketing and Communication, Stéphane Vidal, said: “We share are same values of diversity and inclusivity, and we look forward to working with pHorum7 on the First Among Equals tournament and other exciting initiatives that will open up the world of sim racing to wider audiences”
FIA Girls on Track
pHorum7 is also pleased to be joining the latest FIA Girls on Track UK webinar, as it seeks to open opportunities for women and girls to compete equally in esports and sim racing.
Ritchie-Tomkins will be joined by members of the wider pHorum7 team for the event on Tuesday 7 September at 18:30 BST. Hosted by up-and-coming motorsport presenter Steph Wentworth, the webinar is open to everyone interested in sim racing as well as the 4,000-strong FIA Girls on Track UK community.
eSports
PlayVS Announces Multi-year Partnership with Zenni Optical

PlayVS, the leading esports platform in North America, announced a multi-year partnership with Zenni Optical, the world’s leading online eyewear retailer. This partnership establishes Zenni as the official eyewear partner of PlayVS, bringing exclusive benefits to PlayVS’ esports community.
As part of this collaboration, Zenni will serve as the official eyewear partner of the PlayVS Cup, the annual national esports championship for high school students. The Cup provides top scholastic esports teams from across the country with an opportunity to compete for a national title and earn recognition and awards, including college scholarships. Zenni’s partnership will help power scholarship prizes for Cup finalists, furthering PlayVS’ dedication to empowering students and supporting their educational and athletic ambitions. These scholarships not only aid with alleviating financial strain, but also highlight esports as a viable pathway to academic and professional success.
Zenni’s eyewear will also be included in the prize packages that PlayVS Cup champions and PlayVS Awards winners receive, providing students with high quality eyewear to complement their gaming performance. Additionally, Zenni will offer members of the PlayVS community exclusive discounts on eyewear.
“We are excited to partner with PlayVS and expand our ongoing support of the gaming and esports community. Empowering a dedicated high school esports program that not only will generate awareness around the importance of eye health to a new generation of gamers but also support their academic pursuits is such an amazing opportunity for Zenni to partner with,” said Robb Chiarini, Head of Partnerships, Licensing, & Events at Zenni Optical.
Through this partnership, Zenni will also be integrated into PlayVS’ content series, Road to the PlayVS Cup, a set of videos showcasing different esports programs across the nation as they compete to earn a spot in the PlayVS Cup.
“Partnering with Zenni is a natural fit for us as we continue to grow the high school esports community. Zenni shares our commitment to supporting students in both esports and academics. By joining forces with Zenni, we’re empowering students with scholarships and enabling them to partake in healthy competition to foster their esports careers. We’re excited to work together and bring Zenni’s eyewear to our community of gamers,” said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS.
The post PlayVS Announces Multi-year Partnership with Zenni Optical appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID

Genius Sports Limited has signed new partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID Esports (GRID) to provide sportsbooks with the highest-quality official esports offering.
GRID, as the only game data platform directly working with the game publishers will provide Genius Sports with exclusive access to official live esports data from League of Legends, and VALORANT, the fastest-growing betting esports title, alongside Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six data, and a robust portfolio of CS2 and Dota2 data from the global tournaments by BLAST and Champion of Champions.
Genius Sports’ sportsbook partners will also be able to access official streaming and data visualizations powered by official GRID data.
Bayes Esports is helping power Genius Sports’ esports offering with its highly granular Live Match Data. As the exclusive data partner of key esports tournament organisers such as ESL FACEIT Group, Bayes Esports covers the majority of official live data for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 esports, which brings in some of the highest revenue for sportsbooks.
Genius Sports will further enhance its offering with Bayes Esports’ data product suite, including low-latency video and live data-powered widgets. Select Genius Sports products will be available through Bayes Esports’ distribution in return.
Going forward, Genius Sports will provide sportsbooks worldwide with an end-to-end esports trading product across pre-match and in-play, powered by ultra low-latency data to guarantee sharp odds and maximum market uptime. Through this product, sportsbooks can unlock new revenues by reaching a highly engaged audience with high-octane, year-round content.
“We are thrilled to announce these new partnerships with Bayes and GRID, two leaders in their field, to create an unrivalled esports content suite for our sportsbook partners. As the new home of esports for sportsbooks, we will provide our partners with the highest-quality data and odds on the most prestigious titles in the sport,” said Matt Stephenson, Global Partnerships Director at Genius Sports.
The post Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced that DACH CS GmbH (DACH CS), a tournament organiser seeking to revitalise competitive Counter-Strike in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, has officially joined ESIC membership.
By joining ESIC, DACH CS commits to upholding the highest standards of competitive integrity. The membership requires the league to implement ESIC’s Integrity Programme across all of its tournaments, tackling key issues such as match-fixing, cheating, and doping, fostering a culture of fair play within the region.
As an ESIC member, DACH CS will integrate ESIC’s codes of conduct, actively cooperate in investigations, and enforce ESIC’s rulings. This commitment aligns DACH CS with global best practices, ensuring that the DACH Counter-Strike esports scene operates with a proven integrity framework.
Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said: “DACH CS’s dedication to rebuilding and strengthening the competitive Counter-Strike scene in the DACH region makes them a valuable addition to ESIC’s growing membership. Their commitment to competitive integrity and fair competition aligns perfectly with our mission to safeguard esports. We look forward to working closely with them to support a sustainable and transparent ecosystem for players, teams, and stakeholders in the region.”
Anton Christoph, Founder & Managing Director of DACH CS, said: “At DACH CS, we’re on a mission to take the Counter-Strike Scene in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to old and new heights! We’re super excited to be joining forces with ESIC, as we’re confident that this is a vital step in keeping our community’s most prized values at the heart of our operations. By teaming up with ESIC and aligning with their globally recognised integrity standards, we’re making a promise to you, our players, teams and stakeholders, to provide a competitive environment that’s both trusted and well-structured. We are excited to work closely with ESIC to build a sustainable and respected esports landscape in the DACH region.”
The post DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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