Fantasy sports and messaging app Sleeper has raised $20 million in its latest funding round, and launched a new fantasy League of Legends game. 

The funding round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, and included Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, former NBA player Baron Davis, and NFL player JuJu Smith-Schuster. NBA All-Star Kevin Durant also participated in a previous funding round.

The new LoL fantasy game is available on Sleeper’s app for iOS and Android, in five regions and their respective LoL leagues (LEC, LCK, LCS, VCS, and CBLoL), and according to the company, is perfect for casual gamers who are interested in “diving deeper into esports.” 

Sleeper says it has included added levels of strategy to its new strategy game that will be familiar to League of Legends players, including the concept of picks and bans. 

According to Sleeper CEO Nan Wang, the company is aiming to create a space where fans can bond over sports and esports, through games and chat.

In addition to its esports fantasy offering, Sleeper is also planning to expand its traditional fantasy sports offering to include sports like basketball and soccer later this year.

AYO.NEWS says:

Fantasy esports is really starting to find traction, and driving fan engagement to new highs. The fact that Sleeper is offering traditional fantasy sports, fantasy esports and messaging on the same platform clearly gives it the opportunity to tap into far wider demographics than other providers – indeed, this sports/esports/social mix may well be the future.

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

R8G eSports, French Formula One driver Romain Grojean’s sim racing team, has partnered with Acer Predator. 

Acer’s gaming brand will provide R8G eSports with desktop PCs and other peripherals, while the team’s cars will feature Predator branding during different sim racing events, including the Le Mans 24 hours race. R8G eSports drivers will also be creating content for Acer Predator. 

Discussing the partnership R8G eSports’ founder, Romain Grojean, said:

“Launching my own sim racing team is a proud moment because I’m passionate about motorsport, innovation and embracing new challenges.

“The main goal of the R8G Sim Racing Team is to develop drivers that have the potential to race for real which is an exciting prospect. We’re proud to have the best-of-the-best gaming gear with Predator onboard to become the best-of-the-best in sim racing as we bridge the gap between the virtual and real racing worlds.”

While Vice President of Marketing at Acer Europe, Hajo Blingen, added:

“We have chosen to enter the sim racing scene enabling us to connect with new audiences from the virtual racing world, but also from the real racing world.

“Virtual racing represents a very emotional brand experience and supports us communicating the fascination for gaming technology to a new target group of ever-growing eSports fans. We are excited to support Romain Grosjean to build a world-class sim racing team.”

R8G eSports is also partnered with mindmaze, Soccercoin, Praga, Richard Mille, iBanFirst, Sim Lab, GoPro, Triple A E-Sports, and Heusinkveld. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Sim racing has benefited massively from the COVID-19 global sports shut down, with mainstream coverage exploding and introducing many new fans to esports, so we expect we’ll see more brands take an interest over the coming months. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

With esports betting witnessing dramatic growth due to the COVID-19 crisis shutting down most traditional sports, we thought it would be a great time to catch up with Rahul Sood, CEO and Founder of Unikrn – the esports betting operator that counts Mark Cuban and Ashton Kutcher among its investors.  

We’ve put together a shortened video, but if you have time check out the full uncut version for some real insights from one of today’s most successful esports entrepreneurs. 

Here’s a short overview of our chat:

For those who aren’t familiar with Unikrn, can you tell us what differentiates it from other esports betting operators?

Unikrn was awarded EGR’s Esports Betting Operator of the Year in 2019 because we’re different. Not only does Unikrn esports betting provide endemic odds for dozens of titles with thousands of markets, but we have also developed new tech to underpin a wide variety of betting opportunities. At Unikrn you can bet in real time on Twitch streamers, powered by proprietary technology. We developed 24/7 virtual matches featuring real, exclusive gameplay with all-star quality players including Justin Wong. You can even bet on yourself in public matchmaking games or private lobbies, a skill-based betting experience which is available even in the United States.

Unikrn offers a much wider range of betting than most bookmakers, including betting on your own gameplay, which obviously drives engagement to an unprecedented degree. Do you think this is key to the future, and are there other exciting innovations coming?

Variety is what keeps games fresh, but also what keeps a betting platform interesting. Not only do I think betting on yourself in video games is going to revolutionize the way we see today’s young adults engage with betting, but I also think it will revolutionize the way today’s gamers play. The first publishers to openly participate in skill-based gaming is going to have unprecedented tools for amping up adrenaline, focus, variety and interest in their games. A lot of gamers who review our platform or contact us in Discord have mentioned how betting on something like Fortnite has totally reinvigorated their interest in playing the game. Gamers have more fun watching, playing or streaming with something on the line, which creates increased user retention for the games themselves, ultimately leading to bigger esports audiences and more interest in esports betting.

Unikrn UMode is a full-circle strategy which helps everybody in the industry: publishers, fans, gamers, and of course us.

And, yes, we’re working on other exciting innovations in this space, but I’m not ready to make any announcements for upcoming expansions right now!

Unikrn’s UnikoinGold cryptocurrency was the world’s first gaming utility token and is now well established, but when were you first introduced to the world of blockchain and cryptos, and where do you see it developing in the future?

UnikoinGold was a big push in the right direction for crypto, which desperately needs more utility before it can really go mainstream. For us, UnikoinGold has been a tremendous success in allowing us to provide betting, rewards and other activities without needing to worry about process slowdowns such as cross-national banking transfers. This ultimately makes it less expensive to run our books and allows us to push the limits, offering better odds than our competitors and a more streamlined experience for our crypto-savvy users.

We’re in the process of securing the next stage of partner development for the UnikoinGold ecosystem, which is going to come with another batch of utility and widen UKG’s appeal beyond just our active, crypto-savvy bettors.

Can you tell us about Unikrn Casino and partnerships with casinos, and how you see esports relating to the traditional gaming space?

Esports is either an unprecedented threat or an unprecedented opportunity for land-based casinos. Which is really up to them.

We’ve worked with several Vegas casinos on gaming-related partnerships, initiatives or consulting, and we’ve seen some success bringing younger audiences into places like the MGM Grand using gamer appeal.

Right now, casinos are still trying to figure out how reliable esports performance is and how big the audience is. With COVID-19 shutting down real sports, I think we’re going to see a lot of casinos and sports media companies come back to operation with a greater understanding of esports’ significance. In the coming years and decades, the casinos that lean into gaming and work with strong partners like Unikrn are going to be the ones that have an enormous advantage for the lifetime of Millenials and Gen Z.

The COVID-19 crisis has significantly boosted the profile of esports around the world, as people look for digital entertainment alternatives. Is Unikrn managing to attract new customers from the traditional sports betting space, and do you see this effect lasting beyond the crisis?

We’re seeing an enormous uptick as people look for safe, fun ways to keep themselves engaged without sports or traditional betting options. I think COVID-19 accelerated esports betting, both because operators are being forced to take a serious look at what esports offers and bettors are starting to rediscover video games as a hobby. Gaming and esports are there to support these new fans through the most difficult period of our lives, and I think it’s unlikely that they lose interest once COVID-19 is defeated.

We’ve heard you’re a League of Legends fan and player, but what title are you most excited about in terms of the future, especially from a betting point of view?

Valorant, a tactical shooter from the makers of League of Legends,  is the hot new thing in the esports world. I’m extremely interested to see what we can do with a Riot Games title with a third-party esports ecosystem. CS:GO is one of the most successful esports betting cultures, and Valorant attracts many of that same audience, so I think there will be a lot of interest. The complexity of the game makes for very interesting exotic markets and the format makes it much easier for bettors to enjoy than Battle Royal titles like Fortnite.

Unikrn has invested in and acquired several other companies over the last few years – which has been the most interesting for you, and are there any more moves on the horizon?

I don’t pick favorites, every company we’ve bought has integrated into Unikrn and allowed major innovations behind the scenes. Lots of our tech, offerings and patent applications have been made possible by the people or groundwork provided by the companies we’ve acquired.

As a college dropout who has gone on to phenomenal success, what do you think is wrong with the education system, and what would your advice be to young entrepreneurs?

Everybody needs to be educated to run a successful business. My education came through successes and failures in the real world. There’s no academic replacement for that, but that doesn’t mean academics are useless. Like any other decision in business, getting a degree or an apprenticeship is a cost/benefit analysis.

Look, for me, college wasn’t a fit, that doesn’t mean I would unilaterally prescribe dropping out to other people. My businesses are operated by people of mixed educational backgrounds, which means they come in with a variety of strengths and weaknesses.

If you’re a young entrepreneur, you really need to assess what kind of business you want to make and what kind of education is a fit for those goals. If you want to create a new medical technology, you’re unlikely to do that without a background in medicine, right? If you want to start a new entertainment business, it’s probably more important for you to understand entertainment, network and innovate a product or service that fills a gap.

Either way, the most important thing is to know what your own blind spots are and hire accordingly. If you didn’t go to college, chances are good you’ll want to hire some people who did. You’ll each help cover each other’s weaknesses.

Times certainly are a changin’ and Unikrn is definitely out there in front, driving progress on both the esports betting and tokenisation fronts. 

We’ll be sure to keep you up-to-speed with developments at Unikrn, and in the meantime it’s a massive “thank you” to Rahul for taking the time to talk with us. 

Samsung has entered a sponsorship deal with Texas-based Envy Gaming, covering Team Envy and Overwatch League franchise Dallas Fuel. 

The South Korean electronics giant and Texan esports organisation are promoting the partnership with the slogan “Always gaming. Always Texas.”

Samsung is heavily invested in Envy’s home state, operating the $17 billion Samsung Austin Semiconductor manufacturing plant, which alone employs over 10,000 people. 

The deal is not thought to include Dallas Empire, Envy’s Call of Duty League franchise, at this point. 

The 3-week Lone Star Challenge Overwatch event, which sees Dallas Fuel battle Beasley Media Group’s Houston Outlaws, is also sponsored by Samsung. 

Team Envy field teams in CS:GO, Fortnite, Magic: The Gathering, and Rocket League, and is also sponsored by Acer Predator, CORSAIR, Greyhound, Jack in the Box, and Jack Link’s Jerky. 

Program activated. 💡

We are proud to announce our newest partner, @Samsung, to the team!

Always gaming. Always Texas. pic.twitter.com/MKLRUHK5cF

— Envy (@Envy) May 9, 2020

AYO.NEWS says:

With Samsung being such an important economic force in Texas it’s good to see the company supporting local esports. We’re sure the backing of such a well-resourced corporation will help Envy as the US attempts to weather the COVID-19 economic crisis. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Six months after announcing plans to merge, Torque Esports Corp., Frankly Inc., and WinView Inc., have completed the process, forming Engine Media. 

Engine Media derives its name from the acronym [Esports, News, Gaming, Interactive Network, Engagement]. The new entity is the result of Torque Esports taking over ownership of both Frankly and WinView, and gives the company a broad range of esports and gaming assets, which it plans to use to help launch new esports and live gaming experiences.

The company plans to generate revenue through a combination of; direct-to-consumer and subscription fees; streaming technology and data SaaS-based offerings; programmatic advertising and sponsorships; plus intellectual property licensing fees.

As of now, the clients of the combined companies span more than 1,200 television, print and radio brands, including CNN, ESPN, Discovery / Eurosport, Fox, Vice, Newsweek and Cumulus; dozens of gaming and tech companies, including EA, Activision, Blizzard, Take2Interactive, Microsoft, Google, Twitch and Ubisoft; and have connectivity spanning hundreds of millions of homes around the world. 

Tom Rogers has been appointed Executive Chairman, while Lou Schwartz and Darren Cox have taken up positions as Co-Chief Executive Officers, and Michael Munoz is Chief Financial Officer following the resignation of Robert Suttie. 

Discussing the news Executive Chairman of Engine Media, Tom Rogers, said: 

“Entertainment programming has moved quickly into the streaming world and now news and sports revenue models are highly challenged as subscriber fees from the traditional bundle models decline. As we have seen through the shelter-in-place orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, news and sports are searching for solutions that help them better access consumers, provide programming and unique experiences and tap into new revenue streams.

“Engine Media is coming to the table with new ways for the news, information, sports and esports content to thrive in this new media marketplace. While each of these businesses have established themselves by focusing on pieces of a new model, combining and integrating them together can create the scale that will not only benefit investors, but better serve clients, partners and customers in this new world.”

While Engine Media Co-CEO, Lou Schwartz, added:

“I am excited to be able to work with Tom and Darren to lead this company forward. We have a real treasure trove of assets in terms of technology, content, relationships and people. Our immediate goal is to put this all together quickly and effectively so that we can capitalize on the many opportunities that are in front of us to deliver compelling experiences for consumers, enhance the performance of our partners, grow revenues, drive profits and deliver value for our shareholders.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Though this merger has been a long time in the works, and was started way before the current COVID-19 crisis, events have made it all the more pressing for entertainment and media companies to evolve their offerings to better match the realities of the new world. 

Engine Media certainly has some serious assets and connections at its disposal, so it will be interesting to see how successful they are at achieving their stated goals. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Vlad Marinescu has been appointed President of the International Esports Federation (IESF), after Colin Webster stepped down. 

In a statement Webster said he had been forced to step down due to “circumstances relating directly from the COVID-19 crisis, and the ever increasing challenging situation in South Africa related to travel restrictions.” 

His Highness Shiekh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Sultan Al Najayan has taken Marinescu’s former position of Vice President. The changes were unanimously approved by the IESF board, and both Marinescu and the Shiekh will hold their positions until the next Ordinary General Assembly. Webster himself will remain on the board, advising in legal and financial matters. 

Under Webster’s stewardship, the South Korea-based IESF’s membership grew from 30 federations to more than 70 from a growing list of countries, including; Egypt, Namibia, South Africa, Tunisia, Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Rep., Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, United States, China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Syria, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Rep., Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Macedonia, Netherlands, Polad, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Australia, and New Zealand.

Explaining his decision to step down, Webster said:

“I have always believed that a leader, like the organization itself, must always serve its members. The challenges of the current crisis has sorely tested my efficacy in serving those who elected me, and after long and hard introspection, I believe that Vlad Marinescu and His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Sultan Al Nahayan would be better suited to lead IESF in these troubled times.

“I have absolute confidence knowing that the IESF will continue to flourish through this next chapter. There is no doubt in my mind that IESF shall continue to unite that which is fractious, protect the esports athlete, and deliver more than ever before.”

While Marinescu added:

“We are truly indebted to President Webster. His life has been committed to public service. We are fortunate that we managed to convince him to stay on the board to continue to provide sage advice. The solid foundations that IESF is built upon is down to Colin who has shown tremendous leadership in growing IESF as a truly global esports governing body.

“IESF, a purely non profit association, was established in 2008. During the next period I will dedicate myself to continuing the mission proposed by Colin and together with the united IESF Board, we will ensure to serve our members while growing and uniting the esports world further.”

AYO.NEWS says:

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis is being felt in many ways, across all industries, and being located in South Africa, away from the global esports centres and the IESF’s South Korean headquarters, obviously presented daunting problems to Webster, so his decision is understandable. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020