eSports
Thai R&B Artist D Gerrard Wows Fans at ESPL & Warner Music’s MuGa Arena
Esports Players League (ESPL) and Warner Music Thailand are pleased to share that the inaugural Music Gaming (MuGa) Arena Online Valorant Tournament, jointly hosted with Thai R&B singer & songwriter D Gerrard, has ended on a high note. The tournament concluded with an exclusive meet-and-greet event that has enabled players from the top 8 teams to meet with the artist.
MuGa Arena is a partnership between ESPL and Warner Music Thailand to produce engagement between music artists and music fans. The MuGa Arena Online Valorant Tournament with D Gerrard marks the first step of what would hopefully be the start of a new fan engagement experience where gaming meets music. MuGa Arena tournaments largely take place online, and will allow fans to go from consuming their favourite artists’ music and gaming content, to being a part of their gaming experience.
MuGa Arena Online Valorant Tournament
The MuGa Arena Online Valorant Tournament was launched in October 2022 to bring D Gerrard closer to his fans, creating authentic engagement combined with the power of esports. It featured a thrilling online Valorant tournament with 16 teams of 5, all battling to win exclusive merchandise, D Gerrard autographed memorabilia, and the opportunity to meet with the artist.
The tournament began its elimination rounds on the 7th and 8th of January 2023, before concluding on 25th February 2023 during the final showdown. Team Old Bois Club came out victorious against Team No Need Lineup and won the chance to play the ultimate showmatch with D Gerrard and his all-star team virtually on the same day.
D Gerrard Meet-and-Greet
D Gerrard, whose videos have gained over 500 million views on YouTube, made a live appearance at Warner Music Thailand headquarters to celebrate the conclusion of MuGa Arena’s first-ever tournament and to meet players from the top 8 teams. D Gerrard staged a live acoustic performance of hit songs – “Galaxy”, “Luxury”, and “Isekai”. His new song, currently untitled, was given an exclusive preview to fans during the meet-and-greet, as the unreleased track charted the artist’s history and passion for video games.
During a fan Q&A session, D Gerrard was asked on the similarities between music and gaming and what drew him to be the first MuGa Arena featured artist, to which he answered, “Cause they both are everywhere and both have a huge influence on my life!”
“Working with ESPL to bring MUGA to life has been a rewarding and educational experience. Being in the music business it’s refreshing to see what experts in other related fields are doing, and ESPL’s knowledge and experience in gaming and running tournaments brought MUGA to another level. It was a great joy to see D Gerrard enjoy his passion for music and gaming in the same event,” says Rafiq Ridzwan, Head of Domestic Marketing at Warner Music Thailand.
D Gerrard was joined by Ivy Fung, General Manager at ESPL in the prize giving ceremony to officially present tournament players with prizes consisting of D Gerrard-autographed baseball caps, ESPL merchandise and gaming peripherals.
Synergistic Opportunities
Earlier last year, Deloitte shared that an increasing number of younger gamers are finding music to be a big part of their gaming experience.1 Deloitte’s Digital Media Trends fall pulse survey pointed out 42% of Gen Z gamers reported that they “listen to other music while gaming”, and 34% “hear music in a game and then look it up online to stream or buy”. Further data revealed a strong relationship between Gen Z gamers and the music that they experience while gaming. This suggests opportunities for enhanced engagement through stronger partnerships between music and gaming companies, and for more seamless integration between their products.
“ESPL is very excited and pleased to be able to work with Warner Music Thailand and D Gerrard to bring music and gaming together for the communities involved. We are looking forward to more future collaborations to deliver this immersive experience to artists, fans, gamers and the masses alike,” said Fung.
eSports
Sony Group Becomes Founding Partner of Esports World Cup
Multi-year collaboration will produce the Anthem and original documentary series of Esports World Cup 2024
The Esports World Cup Foundation (“EWCF”) and Sony Group Corporation (“Sony”) have signed a multi-year partnership agreement to collaborate on initiatives for the Esports World Cup. The collaboration leverages Sony’s acclaimed gaming products and entertainment expertise alongside the EWC’s vision to unite the global gaming and esports communities across the most popular games, and underscores a shared ambition to broaden the appeal of gaming and esports to players and fans worldwide. The inaugural Esports World Cup 2024 is slated to take place this summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
As part of this agreement, Sony Pictures Entertainment will create a behind-the-scenes documentary series showcasing the players and games of the Esports World Cup. Sony, together with Sony Interactive Entertainment, will also look to exploring additional opportunities to support promising creators and talent in the region. Sony Music Entertainment will produce the music Anthem of the Esports World Cup 2024
“Sony is the perfect partner for the Esports World Cup,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation. “Our goal is to establish a global platform for esports and gaming that sets new standards for live esports events. Sony’s experience in creating stunning visuals, engaging music, compelling storytelling, and state-of-the-art technology will be a game-changer for the Esports World Cup. The EWC aims to take esports to the next level, and we are thrilled to count on Sony’s world class expertise in this endeavor.”
“We’re excited to make the Esports World Cup more fun and engaging for fans globally by harnessing the creativity and technology from across our diverse businesses.” said Toshimoto Mitomo, Executive Deputy President and CSO, Sony Group Corporation. “Sony has been enhancing the esports experience especially with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s initiatives such as PlayStation Tournaments and the annual EVO fighting game series. We look forward to further catering to this growing, global community of players and fans with the Esports World Cup.”
With the Esports World Cup, EWCF has created an unprecedented celebration of competitive gaming and esports fandom. This summer, top esports organizations will face off in Riyadh, to compete in a unique cross-game structure for the largest prize pool in esports history. Recently, the EWC has announced the addition of ten popular titles – Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honor of Kings, PUBG, PUBG Mobile, Overwatch, Free Fire, Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege – as participating games. More games will be announced soon.
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.
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