Belgian football club Club Brugge has announced an expansion into Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). 

According to the club, which already fields a roster in FIFA21 and competes in the Belgian Proximus eProLeague, its entry into CS:GO will help expand the club’s reach in the esports sector, and give its commercial partners more visibility. 

eClubBrugge, the club’s esports division, will be competing in the betFirst Elite Series – the CS:GO league organised by Benelux esports agency META (formerly 4Entertainment). META is the official operator of League of Legends esports’ Dutch and Belgian Leagues, along with the Rainbow Six Siege Benelux League, and the Belgian College League. 

Commenting on the news Director of Operations at META, Steven Leunens, said:

“We are incredibly thrilled for the start of the Elite Series. With amazing partners on board like betFIRST, the best regional esports teams, and strong newcomers to CS:GO such as eClubBrugge, it’s looking to become an exciting first season after quite some time away from CS:GO for META.”

The betFirst Elite Series commences in February, and will see six top Benelux teams compete for a share of a €15K prize pool.

A new chapter begins.. 😍

We’re participating in the CS:GO Elite Series! 👊🏼 @EliteSeries_GG@betFIRSTesports #eClubBrugge pic.twitter.com/AHN7NjCOrN

— Club Brugge eSports (@eClubBrugge) January 14, 2021

AYO.NEWS says:

Though it’s only natural that traditional football clubs tend to make their debut in esports with titles like FIFA, the fact that more and more are now expanding into games like CS:GO suggests that they are now seeing a real commercial viability in esports. 

‘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. 

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2020 was a record breaking year for the F1 Esports Series, with live stream views rocketing 98% compared to 2019, to 11.4M across all digital platforms.

December’s Grand Final event saw Alfa Romeo’s Jarno Opmeer secure his first F1 Esports title, as both the drivers’ championship and teams’ championship came down to the final race of the campaign, before being won by Red Bull for the second successive year. 

The Grand Final alone racked up 2.7M digital views, setting a new record for a Pro Series event, and saw 1.7M social media engagements – an all-time record for an F1 Esports Series event. Across the whole season, the Pro Series registered 291M social media impressions – up 151% on the 2019 series. The series also recorded 23.8M video views, up 29% on 2019. Additionally, the number of people attempting to qualify for the 2020 season increased 117% to 237,000. 

Over 30M tuned in to the Virtual Grand Prix series in 2020, to see F1 stars, sporting icons, and music artists represent ten F1 teams in eight live events that replaced the official calendar, which had been halted due to the pandemic. Looking ahead to 2021, F1 Esports says it aims to build on the success of 2020, and is kickstarting the new year with the return of the Virtual Grands Prix, with a three-race competition and a charity prize fund up for grabs. 

Though the return of the Virtual Grand Prix Series will be F1 Esports flagship event for the start of 2021, it is just one of many events scheduled. The F1 Esports Series China Championship will find its second winner in next week’s Grand Final in Shanghai, while the inaugural F1 Mobile Racing Esports champion was crowned earlier this month, as Matteo Pagliania came out on top from more than 60,000 qualifiers. The Challenger Series will also be continuing with a further eight rounds across PS4, Xbox, and PC platforms until April, before the F1 Esports Series Pro Championship returns in the autumn.

Reflecting on 2020 and looking ahead to 2021, Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports at Formula 1, Julian Tan, said:

“It is fantastic to see the F1 Esports Series 2020 break viewing and engagement records after a brilliant championship where we saw competitive racing and high drama at every event. We had to adapt in the way we operated for this year’s Pro Series due to the pandemic, but we’re thrilled to see that it didn’t affect viewers enjoyment, or consumption, of the action. 

“2020 was a tough year for everyone, but we look forward to bringing fans more excitement in 2021, starting with the return of the Virtual Grands Prix as we welcome back some of the faces that made it such a special experience last year, and invite some new ones too, all in the name of charity. Watch this space!”

AYO.NEWS says:

Although sim racing, including F1 Esports, was already growing in popularity prior to the pandemic, there can be no doubt that the COVID-19 crisis massively accelerated its rise, as even mainstream broadcasters picked it up as an alternative to cancelled real-world events.

One thing has become abundantly clear, from F1 Esports to eNASCAR, drivers, broadcasters, sponsors, and most importantly, fans, have found the switch from real-world to sim to be surprisingly easy. 

In November 2020, AYO.NEWS’ very own Simona Pinterova caught up with Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports at Formula 1, Julian Tan, to find out how the iconic racing organisation has expanded its esports offering, and what it has planned for the future. Check out the video below. 

‘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. 

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Ultimate Gamer, the world’s first and only multi-genre esports proving ground, has announced the launch of Ultimate Gamer Worldwide Open.

The free global competition aims to find the “Best Gamer on Earth®”, and officially kicks off on 1 March 2021. Lasting several months, the competition will culminate with the “Best Gamer on Earth®” final event in Fall of 2021. 

To win a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool, two hundred of the best gamers from the Ultimate Gamer Worldwide Open will have to compete in at least six different games, across five genres. Titles could include League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege, Call Of Duty Warzone, Madden 21, Fortnite, NBA 2K21, VALORANT, Tekken, two yet to be announced titles, and one wildcard challenge.

Each player’s ranking in each game will be added together, then divided by the total number of games to calculate the final score. All two hundred players will walk away with a cash prize, with the winner taking home $300K, and the runner-up landing $150K. 

Prior to the Ultimate Gamer Worldwide Open, gamers will have the opportunity to compete in the Ultimate Gamer Champion Series. Starting on 20 February, the first challenge will feature COD Warzone with master content creator, Hollywood TW, joining the competition. 

For a $10 entry fee, registered players will compete for a $5K prize pool, and the opportunity to be seeded into Phase II of the Worldwide competition to find the Best Gamer on Earth™. Registration will open soon – visit Ultimate Gamer’s website for more information.

To participate in the Ultimate Gamer Worldwide Open, gamers are invited to sign up via the Ultimate Gamer Arena – where players can also compete daily for gear and thousands of dollars in prize money, as well as connect with a huge community of gamers ahead of the Worldwide Open.

Ultimate Gamer already has more than two million registered users, and is on a mission to build the world’s largest community of gamers, while providing a fun environment to compete with friends and family, discover where one ranks, and try titles outside of one’s normal gameplay. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Such a huge prize pool for an open is incredible, so we’re sure this is going to attract a lot of attention – and, given the need to compete across six different games and five genres, it’s going going to level the playing field for sure, with even the best pro level gamers forced outside of their comfort zones. 

In November, AYO.NEWS’ very own Simona Pinterova caught up with Steve Suarez, CEO of Ultimate Gamer, to find out what inspired the world’s first and only multi-genre esports and gaming proving ground, and what the plans are for the future – check out the video.. 

‘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, 2019-2021.

The Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF) has launched the first Ukrainian Esports Cup.

Just months after the Ukrainian government officially recognised esports as a sport, the UESF has launched the inaugural Ukrainian Esports Cup, in partnership with electronics company Eldorado, betting operator Parimatch, and ExpertPC. 

The five-stage Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) championship, which will take place from 18 January to 28 March 2021, is open to players from all over the country – with participants able to enter alone or in teams of up to five players. The 12 teams that qualify for the Super League stages will go on to compete for a prize pool of UAH 250,000. 

All Super League participants will receive a bonus from the UESF, along with their own bespoke logo, uniform, and social media designs. 

Discussing the initiative, Ivan Danishevsky, explained:

“The first Ukrainian Esports Cup is a thrilling moment for esports in this country, representing a major step towards Ukraine becoming an esports hub of the future. We can’t wait for the inaugural tournament, which will deliver both pulsating entertainment and a chance for esports talent to breakthrough. We are confident that this is the beginning of what will become the pinnacle of the Ukrainian sporting calendar in the years to come.”

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French esports organisation Team Vitality is partnering with supermarket chain ALDI France. 

The three-year deal marks ALDI’s entry into the world of esports, and was signed through the agency Seven by You First Sports. It also marks Team Vitality’s first partnership with a mass-market discount retailer. 

ALDI France will benefit from branding on Team Vitality’s various communications channels and player jerseys. 

Discussing the partnership Marketing and Communications Director at ALDI France, Aurélie Taude, said:

“It was clear to us that Team Vitality was to be part of our esports partnership platform. We are very proud to be associated with this essential team composed of over 40 top athletes! 

“At ALDI France we really want to work towards a common goal. To assist these players in their healthy lifestyle, through programmes and actions designed to support them in competition. This is an opportunity for all of us to make a long-term commitment and to promote the link between nutrition and the practice of esports.”

While Managing Director of Team Vitality, Nicolas Maurer, added:

“Team Vitality is delighted to partner with ALDI. The group’s impressive growth in its sector is reminiscent of Team Vitality’s trajectory in esports, and ALDI’s desire to promote healthy and varied nutrition for all echoes the constant search for performance within our teams. Some great stories and activations will inevitably arise from this collaboration.”

AYO.NEWS says:

After arch-rival Lidl announced its entry into esports earlier this week, through a partnership with German organisation SK Gaming, we knew it would only be a matter of time before ALDI also took the plunge, but this is quicker than expected! 

‘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, 2019-2021.

2019 WNBA champion, Aerial Powers, has joined North American esports organisation Team Liquid as a brand ambassador and streamer. 

In addition to streaming under the Team Liquid banner and representing the organisation as a brand and diversity ambassador, Powers will also chair Team Liquid’s Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. 

Looking forward to her new role, Powers said:

“Early last year, I had the privilege of playing in Team Liquid’s Valorant Pro-Am, which was an exciting introduction to the organisation. Our relationship has continued to grow since then, a result of shared values and ambitions. I’m beyond eager to take this next step and collaborate with the organisation to impact the culture.”

While co-CEO of Team Liquid, Steven Arhancet, welcomed Powers to the organisation, saying:

“Aerial brings the same intensity and competitive drive that earned her a WNBA Championship to everything she does, including gaming — a mentality that makes her a perfect fit for Team Liquid’s winning culture. 

“Our shared values also include a vision for a more diverse and inclusive future for gaming, and we’re excited to collaborate on initiatives we hope will move that needle. Victor and I are honoured to welcome Aerial to the TL family.”

Last year Powers was appointed to the athletes and players commission of the Singapore-based Global Esports Federation, and is also signed with the gaming and esports division of the prestigious Ford Models Inc. 

Team Liquid currently fields players in many titles, including League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2, PUBG, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, Rocket League, and VALORANT. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Powers typifies the new generation of sports athletes who are embracing video games and crossing over, seemingly effortlessly, into the esports world. Given her experience and positivity we’re sure she’ll excel at helping Team Liquid further its goals. 

Welcome to Liquid, @aerial_powers23 🏀

Aerial joins us as Brand and Diversity Ambassador 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Vg3fqKyWnm

— Team Liquid (@TeamLiquid) January 13, 2021

‘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, 2019-2021.