eSports
Saudi Arabia Aiming to Drive eSports to Even Greater Heights
![](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/8.jpg)
The 2024 eSports World Cup in Saudi Arabia has been billed as an event which will fire professional gaming into another stratosphere.
The tournament has captivated the gaming community with its $60 million prize pool and roster of popular games such as League of Legends and Counter-Strike.
However, while the ambition is clear, the eSports World Cup has failed to match some of the figures tallied by other major eSports events.
Read on as we evaluate the tournament from multiple angles, from viewership figures to long-term marketing potential.
Early Performance & Viewership
The eSports World Cup has already garnered more attention than previous similar events.
According to official data from eSports Charts, average viewership grew by nearly eight percent compared to last year’s Gamers8 held in Saudi Arabia.
This growth is promising but might not be enough to position the World Cup as a dominant force in the eSports calendar.
Some observers have already pointed out that viewership numbers still lag behind those of established events such as Games Done Quick and the League of Legends World Championship.
However, early statistics from the event indicate a rich engagement level. The World Cup peaked at 2.4 million viewers in the opening week, accumulating 36 million hours of watch time.
This is a healthy figure that shows substantial interest in the competition. The numbers are not mind-blowing, but it is a decent start.
Betting
Professional gaming has rapidly grown into a worldwide phenomenon over the last few years, leading to a surge in betting interest.
With millions of fans tuning in to watch their favourite teams and players compete, it is no surprise that betting on eSports has become a lucrative industry.
The excitement and competition eSports generates are perfect for sports betting sites for Arab players.
Numerous betting platforms offer odds on various aspects of the games, from match winners to player performance, which can make the viewing experience more enjoyable for fans.
The combination of eSports and betting could be groundbreaking for both industries. Organisers can tap into a new revenue stream while fans enjoy more engagement.
Sponsor Perspective
For many sponsors, including massive brands such as PepsiCo and Mastercard, the eSports World Cup is more than just viewership statistics.
Their involvement is an investment in long-term brand engagement and market positioning rather than immediate returns.
“Our partnership with the eSports World Cup has brought us closer to millions of fans,” said EVP of Global Sponsorships and Partnership Models at Mastercard Pernilla Winberg Babtist.
She highlighted the positive early metrics and expressed confidence in the event’s marketing value beyond mere numbers.
PepsiCo’s SVP and CMO Karim El Fiqi also felt the same way, focusing on the broader value of the sponsorship. “The on-ground engagement with consumers and the equity we build with gamers is crucial,” he explained.
El Fiqi also noted the importance of the event within the context of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy and promote cultural and economic growth.
Strategic Benefits & Regional Impact
According to the managing director of Strive Sponsorship, Malph Minns, the connection between the event and other government-backed projects allows sponsors to build their regional presence without shelling out obscene sums on promotion.
“Companies operating in that region are very cognizant of maintaining favourable relations with government entities,” Minns said.
This view has been supported by the event’s ability to attract high-profile sponsors and partners such as Unilever, Amazon and adidas.
These brands see the World Cup as a way of engaging with the burgeoning eSports community and building brand equity.
Event Experience & Prospects
The World Cup was designed with a unique cross-game format, with top teams and players competing across 22 competitions in 21 leading games. This makes the competition more exciting for viewers.
The 8,000-capacity Saudi esports Federation Arena at Boulevard Riyadh City has received widespread praise as the host infrastructure.
The 220-acre development at the Prince Turki al-Awwal Road is a world-class entertainment centre that rivals any structure of its kind anywhere in the world. The town also features jaw-dropping architecture, cafes, shopping centres and theatres.
Liverpool and Portugal international forward Diogo Jota attended the opening ceremony and was effusive in his admiration for the scale and execution. The 27-year-old former Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker is an avid gamer and investor in the eSports scene.
“The level of investment and infrastructure is exactly what eSports needs to grow and reach a wider audience,” Jota said.
His positive feedback is a sign that the World Cup can make a significant impact in the eSports universe over a long-term period.
Asia
eStar Gaming Announces its Intention to Collaborate with Dalian Young Boy Football Club
![](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1-6.jpg)
China’s leading esports brand, eStar Gaming, a subsidiary of NIP Group announced its intention to collaborate with Dalian Young Boy Football Club. This partnership aims to explore innovative business models that blend digital and traditional sports realms, enhancing urban culture, tourism and the consumer economy through the power of sports.
Kui Wang, Investor and Chairman of Dalian Young Boy Football Club, said: “We are delighted to partner with eStar Gaming, a pioneer in the esports industry. Esports resonates with the youth, offering a dynamic platform for engagement. Our ‘esports+ football’ collaboration is set to spark excitement and innovation, enriching the traditional sport of football with new dimensions. We are confident that this alliance with NIP Group, the first listed Chinese esports company on Nasdaq, will propel Dalian Young Boy and Dalian football into uncharted territories, while our exploration in the integration between esports and traditional sports will pave the way for sustainable growth in both industries.”
Hang “Allen” Sui, Chief Operating Officer of NIP Group, said: “This cross-industry partnership is a groundbreaking step towards integrating esports and football. The synergy between our organizations will deliver unparalleled fan experiences. We anticipate expanding our collaboration with Dalian Young Boy to include cultural exchanges, tourism promotion, and esports festivals, exploring the full potential of digital-inclusion.”
Esports has become an exceptional medium for the younger generation to engage with traditional sports culture and socialize. In late August, Nuoyan and Orange, eStar Gaming’s representative players, engaged in an inaugural exchange with Dalian Young Boy Football Club, experiencing a day in the life of a football player. The event saw a jersey exchange between Dong Chen, General Manager of Dalian Young Boy Football Club, and the eStar Gaming players, with active participation from athletes Weijie Mao, Pengyu Zhu, Shan Huang and Ge Qu.
The integration of esports and traditional sports has emerged as a focal point for both sectors. According to the Esports Working Committee of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association, the domestic esports industry reached approximately 490 million users in 2023, with over 300 million being young users. This integration is poised to align with the entertainment preferences of the youth, revitalizing sports culture in a manner that reflects the new era and fostering “out-of-the-box” growth for traditional sports and local cultural tourism.
eSports
BETER and BVGroup extend partnership on global Esports coverage
![BETER and BVGroup extend partnership on global Esports coverage](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/BETER-and-BVGroup-.png)
BETER, the leading provider of next-gen betting content and data covering sports and Esports, has extended its partnership with BVGroup, the top-flight online betting operator and B2B technology solutions provider.
According to the deal, BVGroup’s brands, including BetVictor, Betano UK and others, will be provided with BETER’s Esports Odds Feed, an end-to-end trading solution which covers 450+ esports tournaments worldwide with the highest odds uptime in the industry of 90%+.
This means that their players will get access to odds for more than 40,000+ live and pre-match events per year, further enriching and improving their Esports wagering experience with the brand.
Odds are calculated using official data and compiled by BETER’s in-house team of expert Esports traders for in-demand disciplines such as CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, Valorant and many more.
The extended partnership further establishes BETER as the go-to provider of Esports content and data for the biggest operators in the business. Indeed, the provider’s fast-betting experiences have proved to be a big hit with significant player groups such as Millennials and Gen Z.
BETER and BVGroup have a longstanding partnership in place with the operator offering the provider’s proprietary ESportsBattle tournaments, which cover eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey and CS2, as well as Setka Cup table tennis tournaments to its players. Combined, this gives players access to more than 45,000 monthly events.
Gal Ehrlich, CEO of BETER, said: “We are thrilled to have strengthened our partnership with our good friends at BVGroup and for its brands to provide players with an enhanced Esports betting experience.
“Esports betting is a significant vertical in its own right with players demanding a great selection of markets and the best-priced odds. By combining official data with expert traders, we can provide our partners with highly accurate odds for Esports tournaments worldwide.
“We have already enjoyed a hugely successful partnership with BVGroup, but this enhanced agreement will really take it to the next level.”
Eoin Ryan, Director of Sportsbook at BVGroup, added: “BETER has proved to be one of our most important partners, allowing us to deliver fast betting content to players at our sportsbooks.
“The success of this made us want to deepen our collaboration by taking the provider’s global Esports data and odds, allowing us to offer bets on more than 40,000 events across major disciplines such as CS2, League of Legends, Valorant and others.
“It’s partnerships like this that ensure our sportsbooks remain the go-to sports and Esports betting brands of choice for players in core markets across the world.”
eSports
PandaScore boosts Amelco’s esports offering with sportsbook integration
![PandaScore boosts Amelco’s esports offering with sportsbook integration](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PandaScore-X-Amelco.png)
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports odds, stats and betting products, has signed a major deal with leading sportsbook and platform provider Amelco, as the supplier looks to enhance its esports betting offering.
Established as one of the world’s leading sportsbook and platform providers, Amelco is the partner of choice for the likes of Fanatics, Hard Rock Bet, Entain, BET99, and Flutter Entertainment.
Under the deal, Amelco will integrate PandaScore’s full suite of esports solutions into its offering. This will include its odds and stats, as well as its esports betting products such as its Bet Builder, Player Props and Micro Markets.
PandaScore’s odds feed is powered by a sophisticated model that leverages AI and is backed by a team of experienced traders, with specialist traders for certain disciplines. This covers the likes of CS2, Dota 2, LoL and Call of Duty.
Amelco will also benefit from PandaScore’s stats offering which provides real-time statistics for LoL, CS2, Dota 2 and all major esports titles. This includes extensive in-depth data points coverage, delivered in real-time with just 300ms latency from the original stream.
When combined with PandaScore’s innovative Player Props, Bet Builder and Micro Markets, it makes for the complete esports offering, allowing Amelco’s operator partners to offer an even wider selection of Esports than ever before.
Oliver Niner, Head of Sales at PandaScore, said: “Amelco is a top-tier technology company and platform supplier and understands the need to provide its customers with a proven esports betting solution and that’s exactly what PandaScore offers.
“The demand for esports betting is big – and only getting bigger – with more operators now wanting to make a play in the space. To do this, they need to be able to offer an authentic betting experience and Amelco can now provide this to its partners using PandaScore’s award-winning solutions.”
Brandon Walker, Head of Business Development at Amelco, added: “Esports betting is a huge business, and as one of the world’s most comprehensive sportsbook and platform providers, we want to ensure we offer our operator partners the very best.
“We’re excited to be partnering with PandaScore to boost our esports offering even further, and we see this partnership as a fantastic way to bring even more value to our offering. We look forward to many successful years of working together.”
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