eSports
Minute Media, Spotify and SRI execs launch agency to help gaming and esports scaleups
Former execs from Minute Media, Spotify and SRI have joined forces to launch Reset, a specialist group that tackles business challenges in gaming and esports. The collective will provide consulting and agency services to rights holders, brands, and investors across the industry.
Responsible for operating teams such as London Spitfire, and having helped dozens of non-endemic brands activate in esports, Reset aims to provide C-Suite in a box solutions to help scaling gaming companies, brands, publishers, platforms and more.
Reset, the specialised agency group focused on the gaming industry, launched. Resetâs unique offering focuses on helping gaming companies turn their investments into stable businesses, provide organisational design and interim operational support, and helps brands activate in gaming with accurate data and measurable results. The Reset team already has a proven track record for its services having supported clients such as Samsung, Kia, BT and Duracell, esports teams London Spitfire and Ellevens, and tournament operators including BLAST and FACEIT in the last year.
Reset was Co-Founded by four executives from the worlds of gaming, sport, media & entertainment: Duncan McMonagle, who has spent two decades working with global brands and rights-holders across sports and gaming, most notably as CRO at Minute Media, where he launched the companies esports platform DBLTAP. He is joined by Ben Brown, veteran of Accenture, Universal Music and Spotify; as well as Chris Jordan and Charlie Stebbings, who together co-founded the leading esports executive search practice at SRI.
Reset has already made key hires starting with Mike Murphy OâReilly, former Head of Gaming & Esports at Minute Media who joins as Resetâs new Commercial Director. Murphy Oâ Reilly brings with him years of experience working on brand partnerships with clients including Kia, H&M, Warner-Bros, Activision-Blizzard and many others.
Taking their extensive gaming and esports credentials enhanced by broader sports and entertainment experience, it is the combination of Resetâs services that makes them a unique solution for companies looking to grow in the gaming industry.
Esports and gaming is flush with companies that are well funded but yet to find the right model to become a commercial success. Reset aims to turn investment into successful businesses by creating structures for growth including business model development, revenue strategy, investor market entry, and more.
For brands, Reset provides strategy, partner identification and creative services to cut through the noise. Leveraging years of experience helping brands activate in gaming with rights holders and content creators, the team believes traditional agencies have struggled to keep up with the pace of change, and understand opportunities in the industry to properly service clients and engage fans. Reset aims to steer clients away from narratives that set false expectations and instead offer transparency, education and proven execution.
Finally, Reset offers Leadership Advisory services to the entire industry, helping companies develop a long term âfit for purposeâ structure for their business, taking commercial and operational execution to the next level. The team will offer services such as interim leadership, organisational design and operational support, that will see the team step in to fill the gaps whilst providing advice around permanent needs to help companies grow.
“At Reset, we are fiercely pragmatic and dedicated to results, not just theory,” said Co-Founder & Director, Charlie Stebbings. “Whether you need strategy for new ventures or commercial growth in an existing business, we can support you with interim leadership, partnerships, capital investment management, creative concept development, marketing intelligence and much more.â
âOur vision is to elevate gaming as a commercial property and develop a sustainable ecosystem. One where fans are prioritised, endemic players have sustainable business models, advertisers reach and engage the right audiences, and investors can deploy capital with confidence,” added Duncan McMonagle.
For the past 9 Months Reset has been managing all operations for the Overwatch League Team, London Spitfire. David Harris, Managing Director of Guinevere Capital said:
âHaving worked with individual members of Reset in their previous roles across the industry, itâs exciting to see this group come together to service the sector. Over the past year with limitations on travel, they have provided an amazing turn key service for both operational and commercial support on the ground in the UK. They know the industry and key stakeholders meaning they have been able to pick up and run with everything from London Spitfire watch parties & co-streams, to merchandise logistics and go to market sales collateral. Theyâve assisted us launching training academies and liaised with University programs working up and down the chain from grassroots to elite level working directly with publishers. We have had no hesitation referring Reset on to work with other groups in the industry and look forward to continuing our relationship in 2021.â
eSports
IESF and ITTI Open Applications for Scholarships in Esports Management
The International Esports Federation (IESF) and the International Institute of Technology and Innovation (ITTI) are thrilled to announce the launch of the IESF x ITTI Scholarships, an initiative designed to empower the next generation of Esports leaders. This scholarship program brings together the industryâs best resources to select young talent ready to make their mark in Esports management and gaming.
Four scholarships are available for promising students who will join ITTIâs Masterâs in Esports Management and Gaming program. This scholarship opportunity opens on November 4, 2024, and closes on November 20, 2024. The project is also part of IESF and Busan Cityâs World Esports R&D Center Program, supporting education and development in the Esports industry.
Scholarship Allocation:
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One student who is a Resident of Busan, aged 18 – 24.
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Three international students, aged 18-24.
How to Apply:
Open to applicants aged 18 to 24, the program invites candidates to submit a completed application form and an introduction video addressing specific questions about their goals, interests, and vision for Esports. With support from NASEF, IESFâs educational partner, the selection committee will evaluate each applicantâs creativity, dedication to Esports, and unique ideas to shape the industry.
Applicants can access the Application Form and should complete both the form and video submission by the deadline.Â
The IESF x ITTI Scholarships offer a great path into Esports management, and recipients will gain access to ITTIâs advanced curriculum designed to equip students for impactful roles in Esports. We invite all eligible young enthusiasts to apply and join this exciting journey with us. Letâs help shape the future of Esports!
eSports
SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024
1 November 2024 â Esports has experienced explosive growth in Q3 2024, doubling turnover compared to the previous quarter. The average bet on cybersports increased by 17.6% quarter-on-quarter. SOFTSWISS, a global tech expert with over 15 years of experience providing innovative iGaming solutions, shares the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Q3 2024 report.
The top five sports by Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) remain consistent: Football, Tennis, Basketball, Table Tennis, and eFootball. For the second consecutive quarter, eFootball has outperformed Counter-Strike 2, indicating a shifting interest within the esports sector. Nevertheless, football continues to dominate, contributing nearly half of the total GGR.
The average live bet grew by 10% quarter-on-quarter, a positive development for operators as live bets hold 78.6% of turnover. The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook team is actively enhancing the live betting experience, aiming to capitalise on this trend and provide operators with even greater revenue opportunities.
The average bet grew by 9.7% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2024, and the number of bets increased by 18.7%. GGR saw a modest growth of 1.5% quarter-on-quarter.
Despite the large number of projects launched for the UEFA Euro 2024, month-on-month statistics show that with the right promotional strategies, projects continue to operate successfully even after such massive events.Â
Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, adds: âAligning a launch with a major sporting event can be a successful strategy, but football is not the only sport that can be leveraged in this way. The growth of cybersports presents new opportunities; for specialised projects targeting specific audiences, esports events can also serve as an effective starting point.Â
We continuously focus on product growth and development, enhancing features and user experience to drive further engagement and profitability for our partners.â
The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is expanding its global presence. The product team is on track to secure certification in Brazil, conducted by an authorised testing laboratory. Furthermore, for the South African market, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook has recently integrated a Horse Racing Module. This addition offers operators new business opportunities by covering over 2,400 international and local races monthly. The solution engages players with race cards, silks, and multiple bet types while providing operators unique skins and configurations to align with various brand identities.
The SOFTSWISS team is working on The iGaming Trends Report 2025, which offers a deep dive into key industry developments based on over 50,000 media headlines and insights from industry experts. Covering areas like regulation, marketing, technology, and business growth, this report provides a data-driven perspective on the trends shaping the upcoming year. The SOFTSWISS team shares the possibility of joining the waiting list.
All SOFTSWISS products will be showcased at the final major industry event, SiGMA Europe, at stand 2145.
eSports
Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2025 season
Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), founded in 1984, is the national federation for Board games, Card games, Esports, and Wargames.
MSSA promotes all the different disciplines equally, although each school may pick-and-choose which discipline it wishes to promote at its school. Some schools will promote the whole gambit, while others will concentrate on only one discipline, and/or even just concentrate on one specific title.
The choice is ultimately up to the school.
MSSA has sent teams with full Protea Colours to international events since 1991 for wargames, 1996 for Morabaraba, 1997 for Checkers, and 2005 for Esports. Many members of the national teams have been scholars, and all have benefited from their involvement in the national Protea Team.Â
There is still the option open for a school to start a full-blown sub-club on its premises, but bearing in mind the tight regulatory conditions under which accredited schools have to operate in the Republic, the MSSA no longer deems it necessary for a school to start a sub-club.
As long as the school club has the approval of the school, and has an Educator-in-Charge, a school may affiliate by merely completing the Application for Affiliation Form and submitting such to MSSA.
Advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club: There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:
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Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
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Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding â MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R800,000.00 in funding
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Being able to get assistance from your local government
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Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers
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Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.
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Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for Regional, Provincial, and National colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.
- Private clubs:Â one vote per every five registered players, and
- School clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.
MSSAâs General Regulations  Â
The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected and development funding is distributed. Â Please refer to Schedule 10.12 in regard to the rights of clubs in hosting events.
MSSAâs Discipline Specific Regulations  Â
The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. The Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board Gaming, Card gaming, Esports, and Figure Gaming.
When a club applies for membership, the applicant club must complete such form and return the same to the MSSA.Fee note for 2025
The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.
Player Registration Form  Â
The Player Registration Form needs to be completed by every player that is a member of a club and intends to participate in MSSA affairs.
MSSAâs Letter of Undertaking  Â
The Letter of Undertaking is for all registered players who sit on any MSSA committee.
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