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Valve moves The International to Vancouver as Seattle loses huge eSports event

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Valve moves The International to Vancouver
Photo credits: Reuters
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The International is headed to Canada for the first time ever.

 

Bellevue, Wash.-based gaming giant Valve announced this week that its massive Dota 2 esports tournament will be held at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C., from August 20 through August 25. Tickets, ranging from $125 CAD to $250 CAD, go on sale March 23.

Valve held The International at Seattle’s KeyArena for the past four years, drawing sold-out crowds that traveled around the world to watch the best Dota 2 players compete for what was a $24.7 million prize pool last year.

Now the tournament — and its tourism revenue — is headed across the border. We’ve reached out to Valve to learn more about the move and will update this story when we hear back.

There were several clues pointing to a potential relocation.

In late December, a KeyArena ticketing agent told GeekWire that the event wouldn’t be returning to KeyArena in 2018 due to renovation. Oak View Group, the ownership firm trying to bring an NHL expansion team to Seattle, is planning a $600 million renovation project that would begin before the end of 2018 if approved by city leaders. It’s possible that Oak View Group wants to close down the venue before it officially begins the reconstruction.

In October, a stadium banner ad for The International ran at Rogers Arena in Vancouver during a TSN hockey report.

Last year, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell said The International could be moved out of the country as a result of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Competing teams come to Seattle for The International from all over the world; the same goes for spectators.

The tournament, which started in Germany six years ago, was previously held at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall before Valve moved it in 2014 to a larger venue at KeyArena.

The relocation is a loss for Seattle’s tourism industry, but don’t be surprised if it returns to the city in the future.

Speaking at the GeekWire Sports Tech Summit this past June, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said that esports is on the agenda for the redeveloped KeyArena. He expects to host 20 esports events per year at the arena once the reconstruction is complete. Oak View Group wants to have KeyArena ready for the 2020-21 NHL season.

Do I think 18,000 people come into each and every one of those 20 nights to watch people play games?” Leiweke said in June. “I’m not sure it’ll be 20,000, but look, if you do 5,000-to-8,000, and that keeps your building busy, and those are 20 nights that you can schedule around your anchor tenant and your concert business, I think it’s a fantastic addition completely driven by technology.

Those not familiar with esports may wonder why people travel from halfway across the globe and pay big bucks to watch other people play video games. But for some Dota 2 fans, attending The International can be a life-changing experience.

It was the best trip I ever went on,” Kyra Slovacek told GeekWire this past August. “I really had no idea how big the Dota 2 community was until I came to The International and saw the line wrapped all around Seattle Center and sat in the arena. It was unbelievable.

Spectators watch the professionals battle out at center court, where the teams compete in two pits with glass windows. The International has a sports-like feel, from the raucous crowd to the broadcast booths to the press rows to the festivities outside KeyArena. Valve streams the live action to four huge screens inside KeyArena, and any time there’s a heated battle, the crowd roars — the decibel level certainly matches, if not surpasses, what you’ll experience at any other sporting event.

The prize pool for The International has grown from $10.9 million in 2014 to $24.7 million in 2017, the largest ever in esports history.

 

Source: geekwire.com

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eSports

Sportradar and Oddin.gg ink AV betting agreement to elevate and expand esports reach

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Sportradar and Oddin.gg ink AV betting agreement to elevate and expand esports reach
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Sportradar and Oddin.gg, an award-winning B2B betting-solutions provider for esports, today announced they have entered into a multi-year strategic partnership to offer audiovisual streaming of Oddin’s exclusive esports content to Sportradar’s betting operator clients around the world.

The deal will support Oddin.gg’s growth ambitions in the expanding global esports market, whose betting turnover was estimated to be €83 billion in 2023. It will extend the reach of Oddin.gg’s official competition content by leveraging Sportradar’s market leading position as an AV betting provider.

Sportradar’s global network of 900+ betting operator clients will benefit from the opportunity to offer greater volume and a wider variety of live streamed esports events to their customers, increasing opportunities for engagement with existing and new betting markets. The partnership also paves the way for future collaboration in other areas.

Oddin.gg holds the official rights to high-profile competitions including the newly released Counter Strike 2 (CS2) which Sportradar will distribute to sportsbooks through the company’s integrated streaming product, providing access to prominent competitions globally and enabling operators to offer exciting new content to their customers.

A number of prestigious competitions are featured in the partnership, including:

• PGL Copenhagen Major 2024, the first Major for the newly released Counter Strike 2;
• Dacha DOTA2 Qualifiers and Main Events;
• Dacha Counter Strike 2 Qualifiers and Main Events;
• Tipsport MCR 2024.

Patrick Mostboeck, SVP Fan Engagement, Sportradar said: “This agreement further strengthens Sportradar’s esports offering while supporting Oddin.gg in realising their growth plans through AV streaming for betting. Sportradar’s ultra-low latency audiovisual outputs, as well as our comprehensive Live Odds and real-time trading solutions, provide betting operators with the critical materials they need to commercialise the global, highly engaged esports fan base.”

Vlastimil Venclik, CEO and co-founder of Oddin.gg shared: “As the forefront innovator in the esports betting sector, Oddin.gg is embarking on a journey by aligning with Sportradar, a leader in the realm of sports data and content distribution. This partnership is not just a collaboration but a combination of distinct strengths, where Sportradar’s extensive and sophisticated video distribution capabilities are set to be the vehicle for our unparalleled esports odds and analytical insights. This strategic alliance aims to harness the best of both worlds, merging our profound expertise and nuanced understanding of the esports betting market with Sportradar’s wide-reaching video distribution.”

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Apeiron Partners with TALON and United Esports To Bring Web3 Esports to Both East and West Markets

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Apeiron, the first-ever web3 god game, today announced a partnership with Hong Kong-based TALON and LA-based United Esports to host the Apeiron x TALON Nova Tournament.

Apeiron is a dapp x god game x roguelite x battle arena, combining classic with modern gameplay to create a unique entertainment experience. The tournament will feature two conferences, each hosting eight top players from around the world. The goal is to showcase Apeiron’s PvP to the world, with the Eastern Conference (Asia) scheduled for April 4-6 and the Western Conference (Americas) for April 11-13.

The tournament will follow a double-elimination bracket format, with matches being best-of-3 matches and the final matches being best-of-5. Each player will bring 3 decks, each with a different Avatar, and once a deck has won a game, it may not be used again within that set. The total prize pool is $30,000, split equally between the two conferences, with rewards ranging from $750 to $5,000 for the top Apeiron competitors.

Participation is by invitation only, and fans influence the selection by requesting their favorite Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) to join. The participants include notable members of the Web2 and Web3 gaming space, including:

Web2

  • (East) League of Legends pro player Tsai “GreenTea” Shang-Ching, Thailand content creator gamtoh and Wild Rift analyst Kitiphat “Cyberclasher” Kanjanapiphat

  • (West) top TeamFightTactics player RobinSongz, content creator and chess Woman Grandmaster Nemo, master of card games Deathsie, the most viewed English Hearthstone streamer Rdu.

Web3

  • (East): GamingGridX founder Yellow Panther, Axie Infinity player 1437, GGChronicles’ raiden, crypto gamers, esushima

  • (West): Content creator orangie, content creator Brycent, US content creator rojan, Twitch streamer ralo, METAT8 Esports founder Elijah Flowers

“We are excited to partner with TALON and United Esports from both the East and West to bring competitive web3 esports to a wider audience seeking strategic and fast-paced gameplay. Apeiron’s unique gaming experience challenges players’ strategic thinking, reflexes, and ability to improvise, offering an exhilarating experience for both streamers and viewers to witness and share the most epic clutch moments and comebacks,” commented Frank Cheng, CEO of Foonie Magus.

“The appetite and opportunity for esports within the Web3 space continues to grow and what we love about Apeiron is that it has a low floor making it easy to come in and play, but a high ceiling for experienced players to grow into their mastery of the game,” said Jazz Tham, Co-Founder of TALON.

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TEAM VITALITY DOUBLES DOWN FOR TWO COPENHAGEN MAJORS IN COUNTER STRIKE AND ROCKET LEAGUE

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  • From today, Team Vitality gears up for Copenhagen, competing in both the Counter-Strike and Rocket League Majors, highlighting their commitment to ascending as the world’s best esports club.
  • World champion in both games, the French club will defend its titles with its franchise players Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut on Counter-Strike 2 and Alexis “zen” Bernier on Rocket League.
  • On site and from its premises in Paris, Team Vitality will carry out immersive experiences and exclusive meeting sessions with its players, in close collaboration with its partners.

 

Team Vitality, the world’s leading esport club, is set to take part in two key events on the esport calendar, both taking place simultaneously in Copenhagen. Firstly, the first Major in the history of Counter-Strike 2 at the Royal Arena. And then, the Major of the Rocket League scene at the KB Hallen Arena. Together, the French trio will attempt to regain their position as leaders on the international scene after winning the 2023 World Championships in Düsseldorf.

TEAM VITALITY’S QUEEN TEAM AIMS TO MAINTAIN ITS REIGN

Team Vitality’s squad enters the first Counter Strike 2 Major, taking place at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, with the determination to defend their title after reigning supreme at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. With renewed energy, commitment and determination, the new Team Vitality era promises to be explosive. This new Major would be an opportunity for the team to achieve back-to-back Major victories, obtain a new star on their jersey, and maintain its heritage as champion of the scene.

With star player ZywOo’s contract renewal until 2026, Team Vitality gains renewed energy and commitment, heralding a new era of determination. These renewals reinforce the team’s dedication to finding and nurturing esports talent and support their competitive mission of maintaining their top position in esports. As the team’s cornerstone, ZywOo’s exceptional skills elevate Team Vitality’s competitive edge and inspire the entire organisation in its quest for excellence in esports.

“We will arrive in Copenhagen with a desire to make a good impression. For some players, this will be their first Major. For the players, arriving with the title of world champions, poses a significant challenge as they strive to live up to the expectations of being considered the best in the world. But for the team, it will be an opportunity to put our preparation to the test, evaluate if we have made the right decisions, and show our determination. Our ambition is strong, we are led by the best player in the world – ZywOo – we can only aim for the top spots.” explains Fabien ‘Neo’ Devide, co-founder and President of Team Vitality.

TEAM VITALITY’S ROCKET LEAGUE ROSTER READY TO DEFEND ITS LEADERSHIP

Reigning world champion and record-holders of the first perfect split in the history of the game, Team Vitality’s Rocket League team returns to the forefront to defend its leadership on the international scene from March 28 at the KB Hallen Arena in Copenhagen.

Made up of the crème de la crème of French players with Zen, Radosin and Alpha54, the Team Vitality team is driven by the desire to add even more titles to its list of achievements. The new coach of the roster, the former world champion FairyPeak!, will also be able to prove himself behind the screen by pushing his players to surpass themselves.

Together, the team hopes to win first place and remain the number 1 team on the French-speaking and international scene.

“RLCS Copenhagen, stands as a new competition where Team Vitality must take its stand and defend its title. This new season has been challenging, particularly in terms of player support. Currently, we find ourselves in a transitional period, where the team is still digesting their status as World Champions. This Major is an important competition, serving as a bridge towards our main objective which is to win the Worlds at the end of the year. In any case, we are going to Copenhagen with the aim to achieve.” recalls Fabien ‘Neo’ Devide, co-founder and President of Team Vitality.

DEFINING THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL FANS, FROM PARIS TO COPENHAGEN

Within the Royal Arena, Team Vitality will have a dedicated booth to welcome its fans and organise meet & greets with the players. This will also be an opportunity to (re)discover the V.Hive club application through a 100% winning digital experience.

To celebrate this historical moment where both of the French Club’s formidable rosters take centre stage, Team Vitality along with its official audio partner, JBL Quantum, has crafted an array of captivating experiences for its fans on the stand including:

  • Sound is Survival, step into a realm where you must rely on sound alone using the JBL Quantum 910 to navigate a Counter-Strike 2 map engulfed in smoke to defuse a bomb as quickly as possible while blindfolded. The person with the best time will be able to win a headset.
  • Sound of Legends, fans can experience 100% sound-based quiz. They will have to recognise the sounds from the Counter-Strike 2 game as quickly and precisely as possible, with the chance to win a JBL Quantum 910 headset by achieving the highest score.

IN PARIS FROM THE BUZZING V.HIVE

Team Vitality fans who did not have the chance to travel to Copenhagen will also have the opportunity to follow their teams thanks to EVNIA and Crédit Agricole. In Paris, viewing parties will be held at V.Hive from March 21 to 31.

Finally, Team Vitality and its partner Unilever are launching a unique gourmet initiative with Ben & Jerry’s named: Major Delivery. From March 20 to 29, fans can order delicious Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with the code ‘VITALITYMAJOR’ directly from the UberEats app. Team Vitality fans will benefit from a discount and will automatically be entered into a giveaway to have the chance to win a trip to attend the second Rocket League Major.

“It is an exceptional opportunity to have these two esports events at the same time and in the same place. Particularly in a city like Copenhagen where the culture of esports is well established and respected. This is why Team Vitality and its partners have made an effort to curate experiences for our fans who have travelled there, but also for those who remain at home. I am delighted that we were able to bring our partners on board this new adventure, signalling an important step for the club, and an opportunity to cement our leadership in the international scene.” said Nicolas ‘Nico’ Maurer, co-founder CEO of Team Vitality.

 

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