eSports
ESPORTS AWARDS NAMES MAKE-A-WISH AS ITS OFFICIAL CHARITY PARTNER
The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is excited to reveal Make-A-Wish as its Official Charity Partner for 2021. The partnership will see the Esports Awards and Make-A-Wish work closely together on a whole host of activities including charity auctions, live streams, with lots more to be announced in the coming months.
This year the Esports Awards will return to the Esports Stadium Arlington, Texas on November 20th where it will celebrate and honour every corner of the industry on the biggest night in the esports calendar. The Esports Awards will work on a charity campaign in the run up to the awards to encourage its community to help raise funds for Make-A-Wish.
“When Make-A-Wish explained that gaming-related wishes had seen an increase we knew that we wanted to help facilitate as many wishes as possible. The Esports Awards aims to bring the esports and gaming industry community together under one roof and we are hoping to provide these incredibly brave young people with a fantastic experience and the opportunity to meet their heroes. We have lots planned in the coming months and we look forward to helping raise as much funding as we can,” said Michael Ashford, CEO, Esports Awards.
“This collaboration with Esports Awards came at an opportune time as we have seen an exponential increase of gaming-related wishes during the pandemic. We are delighted to be working with Esports Awards to bring hope, strength and joy to our wish children worldwide. Together, we are one step closer to being able to grant the wish of every eligible child”, says Luciano Manzo, President and CEO of Make-A- Wish® International.
eSports
NEW YORK ISLANDERS REPRESENTATIVE ERIK ‘EKI’ TAMMENPAA EARNS HIS SIXTH EUROPEAN TITLE AT THE EA SPORTS NHL 24 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
In a rematch of last year’s European Championship, Erik ‘Eki’ Tammenpää, representing the New York Islanders, again prevailed over Teemu ‘Temppanen’ Karvonen representing the Anaheim Ducks to win the EA SPORTS NHL 24 European Championship title. The win marks Eki’s fourth-straight and sixth-overall European Championship title (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and another $15,000 USD in earnings. Temppanen placed second in the competition that took place at the Copenhagen Media Facility in Copenhagen, Denmark on Sunday evening. For a second year straight, both players will represent Europe in the EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship taking place in April in New York.
Eki is a full-time YouTube and Twitch content creator and EA SPORTS™ NHL® 24 expert and 24-year-old native of Helsinki, Finland. He remains the most decorated esports player on the NHL competitive circuit and will try once again to capture the World title after capturing runner up at last year’s EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Final.
During the competition in Copenhagen today, Temppanen and Eki qualified for a spot in the World Final by competing in a semifinal best-of-three round. Both players split their first two games, with Temppanen ultimately overtaking NikkeDanglesin a tight competition and Eki defeating Eken45Jr with eight goals in a Game Three shutout.
The Championship series saw a rematch of last year’s EA SPORTS NHL 23 European Final with Temppanen and EKI facing off once again. While Temppanen took the lead with an early goal in Game One, Eki scored three quick goals in a three-minute span during the second period and a game-winning goal in the third period by Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers). Eki continued his goal streak and dominated Game Two, ultimately scoring six unanswered goals, including tallies from Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes), Bo Horvat(New York Islanders), and Cam Atkinson (Philadelphia Flyers). Eki’s
6-0 victory solidified his sixth European title and status as “the one to beat.”
EA SPORTS NHL 24 EUROPEAN FINAL STANDINGS
1st: Eki, New York Islanders
2nd: Temppanen, Anaheim Ducks
3rd: Eken45jr, Pittsburgh Penguins
4th: NikkeDangles, Washington Capitals
5th-8th: Alphaborje, Detroit Red Wings
5th-8th: Kibeeex, Toronto Maple Leafs
5th-8th: Launonexx, Tampa Bay Lightning
5th-8th: Teemuyy, Colorado Avalanche
The EA SPORTS NHL 24 North American Championship will be contested on March 24 at the NHL Flagship Store in New York beginning at 1 p.m. ET on the NHL’s Twitch channel. For more news, fans can visit www.nhl.com/NHL24 and follow the conversation on social using #NHL24WC.
eSports
Supported by Access Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Investment Office, KALM opens global headquarters in the emirate
KALM, the world’s first sports and esports consultancy focused on player development and performance, has launched its new global headquarters in Abu Dhabi. KALM aims to revolutionise the landscape by offering a blend of expertise from both traditional sports and esports, including innovations, technology and academic partnerships to develop first-in-class services for athletes.
Powered by Access Abu Dhabi, an initiative by Maven Global Access and supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), KALM will provide its services to organisations, global brands and individual athletes in and out of their sporting endeavours.
KALM utilises proprietary performance technology from Stanford University to identify key traits and talent of athletes by evaluating perceptive, physical and mental capabilities. It is focused on creating a best-in-class performance centre dedicated to optimising player health and recovery. KALM harnesses data science and AI applications to understand peak player performance and lifestyle factors affecting performance and develops methods to extend the longevity of an athlete’s career.
Massimo Falcioni, Chief Competitiveness Officer at ADIO, said: “Abu Dhabi is steadily emerging as a regional sports and esports centre, and KALM is joining a solid lineup of global players who are setting up their operations in the emirate. Boasting a positive investment environment, enabling regulations and cutting-edge infrastructure and connectivity, Abu Dhabi continues to be a destination of choice for innovators. We are confident that KALM will drive further growth for a key sector in the emirate, through offering unique and innovative services.
Dr Melita Moore, Managing Partner at KALM, said: “At KALM, our mission is to put the player at the centre. Esports athletes compete at the highest level and their physical, mental and overall wellbeing deserves the same level of care as traditional athletes. We chose Abu Dhabi as the location for our headquarters because of the incredible support and opportunities offered by this vibrant city. Access Abu Dhabi played a pivotal role in bringing us to the region initially. Abu Dhabi’s strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and unwavering commitment to innovation in the gaming industry made it the ideal choice for KALM to thrive.”
KALM has established an athlete-centric development model through education, brand-building and commercialisation focused on protecting, managing and leveraging athlete brands. Through its global headquarters, the company will engage with government, the private sector, federations, teams and key stakeholders to create, drive and deliver its athlete health and wellbeing strategy.
Dr Melita Moore, renowned in sports medicine, brings her global leadership from serving as team physician for NBA and WNBA, to a leading role at the Global Esports Federation as a Vice President. Dr Khizer Khaderi is a visionary in neuro-ophthalmic surgery and technology, contributes expertise in AI, VR and AR. Ali Al Ramahi, a leading sports scientist and performance coach, specialises in developing wellness programmes for esports athletes, while Luke Fedlam, a distinguished sports attorney, shapes the regulatory landscape of sports and esports and provides athlete development and education.
KALM’s initiative will elevate the Middle East’s presence in the global sports and esports arena, providing a platform for young aspirants to achieve international acclaim. The timing of the launch aligns with the region’s growing interest in digital sports and entertainment, marking a significant stride in the development of a robust esports ecosystem.
eSports
Esports Champions Heroic Partner with Thunderpick as Official Sponsor!
Heroic, the esports organization for the future, is thrilled to announce a landmark partnership with Thunderpick, the leading online crypto betting platform. This multi-year agreement positions Thunderpick as the Exclusive Global Betting Sponsor for Heroic’s CS2, Dota 2, and Sim Racing teams, and highlights the shared ambition of both organizations to revolutionize fan engagement in esports.
The partnership follows the recent announcement of Thunderpick World Championship 2024, the brand’s namesake $1 Million prize pool tournament where Heroic is set to compete. Thunderpick will also support Heroic in the CS2 PGL Major this month, and the DOTA2 ESL One Birmingham in April, where they have already secured their qualification.
“Partnering with Heroic, a team known for its leadership and success across various esports titles, is a significant milestone for Thunderpick,” said Kelly Sanders, Head of Strategy at Thunderpick. “We’re looking forward to supporting Heroic’s journey, cheering them on at Thunderpick World Championship 2024, and making awesome innovations in the esports space together.”
The collaboration between Heroic and Thunderpick is more than a sponsorship; it’s a fusion of passion, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of enhancing the esports landscape. Fans of Heroic can anticipate engaging activities, exclusive content, cool merch, and unique opportunities to connect with their favorite team like never before.
-
Central Europe6 days ago
Sponsors Spotlight: Pixpel Makes Crypto Games Safe and Fun for Players and Developers in Web3
-
Latest News7 days ago
1X2 Network strikes MrQ integration
-
Latest News7 days ago
Stakelogic Bolsters UK Presence with Exciting New Midnite Partnership
-
Industry News7 days ago
Inspired Launches Latest Virtual Sports Games with Planetwin365 in Italy
-
eSports7 days ago
Esports World Cup Adds Five More Game Titles to Summer 2024 Festival
-
Asia7 days ago
MapleStory Universe Enters into a Strategic Partnership with Avalanche
-
Asia4 days ago
Tencent benefits from multiple new game launches on Steam
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
UK Gambling Commission Adds Nine Members to its Industry Forum