Ahead of the 2019 NBA 2K League Draft, which is scheduled on March 5 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., the NBA 2K League has signed multiyear partnership with Champion Athleticwear. As per the agreement, the sportswear company will serve as the league’s official outfitter.

Champion will offer the NBA 2K League’s 21 teams game uniforms as well as warmup, travel and practice apparel. In-game avatars will also be outfitted in Champion-branded uniforms. Throughout the season, Champion will provide apparel for marquee events like the NBA 2K League Draft Clash, in-season tournaments and the NBA 2K League Finals. Starting today, fans can purchase NBA 2K League merchandise on Champion.com.

“We are thrilled to have an iconic brand like Champion as our official outfitter,” said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue. “Champion’s authentic designs and innovative products make them a great partner for the league, and we can’t wait to see our teams compete in their new uniforms this season.”

“The need for esports apparel is quickly evolving and Champion is pleased to be an integral part of this historical opportunity,” said Champion Group President-Global Activewear Jon Ram. “Being the official outfitters for the NBA 2K League is an exciting and pivotal opportunity for Champion to continue our evolution and expansion to outfit teams within the esports and traditional sports communities. Together we can push the boundaries and bring esports to a wider audience.”

China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (CMHRSS) has officially recognised esports as a profession. The new professions “esports operator” and “esports professional” are included in the 15 new professions approved by the government.
The other professions in the list include AI engineer, big data engineer and drone pilot.

CMHRSS defines “esports operators” as those who organise esports events or produce esports content, as well as those who increase the commercial value of esports through promotion and marketing.

“Esports professionals” are considered those who compete in tournaments, perform in events, or train with other professionals. It can also refer to those who analyse games or assist with training.

Low margin sportsbook Pinnacle has detailed that it has ‘significantly accelerated its position as the leading esports bookmaker’, partnering with real-time data provider GameScorekeeper.

Pinnacle has moved to integrate GameScorekeeper’s ‘live score API’, which will extensively amplify its esports betting proposition, as GameScorekeeper monitors 85% of all pro-sanctioned esports tournaments/matches.

Updating stakeholders, Pinnacle Trading Director Marco Blume states that GameScorekeeper data capacities and automated functions are needed in order to maintain Pinnacle’s fastest growing market category.

“Since we took our first esports bet in 2010, the esports betting industry has undergone a dramatic transformation. Esports has found its way into the top five most popular sports at Pinnacle but we don’t intend to stop there. Data has been key to maintaining our low margin, high limit approach, as well as developing our offering to help improve our customers’ experience. This deal with GameScorekeeper will enhance our product even further and solidify our position as the leader in esports betting”

The Aarhus (Denmark) based start-up provides its partners with esports real-time livescore solutions, game/match insights and historical data inventory.Founded in 2016 by gaming statistician Felix Klastrup, GameScorekeeper aims to become the leading enterprise in esports data gathering, tracking and monitoring.

Focusing on provider greater data-intelligence for all esports stakeholders, GameScorekeeper has been further recognised as one of Denmark’s fastest growing enterprises

“Having access to a large amount of quality data is a major business advantage in the esports market because it leads to higher customer satisfaction and lower costs. And the fact that Pinnacle, a pioneer in esports, is now investing in quality data will help to make esports an even more credible business,” explains Felix Klastrup, CEO and founder of GameScorekeeper.