Former Chief Operating Officer at ESL UK, Rob Black, has launched Promod Esports – a new turnkey esports solutions agency. 

The agency is pitching consultancy services to IP owners from the esports world, and those looking to enter it, along with events creation, organisation, management and broadcasting services. 

Announcing the launch Founder and CEO of Promod Esports, Rob Black, said:

“It’s clear that esports will continue to need expert service providers to help brands create relevant, authentic connections. We’re building a world-class white label service to work directly with IP owners on their strategies, products and engagements.

“The philosophy behind Promod was all about nurturing talent and growing the esports scene, and we are determined to continue that approach with Promod Esports. I’m delighted by the work we’ve already done, and I’m excited by the work that this brilliant team will do in the future.”

The Promod team has experience spanning more than 20 esports titles, and has worked on delivering remote broadcasts engagement for UEFA’s eEURO 2020, the ESL Premiership, and National Student Esports (NSE). 

AYO.NEWS says:

As interest in esports rockets around the world, we’re now seeing the rapid development of a professional services infrastructure to support it. From end-to-end esports betting solutions from data suppliers, to analytics companies, talent agencies, affiliate marketing programs, and creative studios – a whole world of new business and career opportunities is opening up for those who are paying attention.   

‘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

The British Rally Championship has confirmed AMD and PCSpecialist as leading sponsors of its BRC Esports Invitational Series. 

PCSpecialist is title sponsor of the new sim racing series, which uses Codemasters’ DiRT Rally 2.0, and started on 4 May with a gravel stage in virtual Wales. Stage 2 starts on 25 may with asphalt in virtual Spain, followed by stage 3 on asphalt in virtual Germany from 15 June, and the final stage takes place on gravel in virtual Scotland from 29 June. 

Discussing the news series, British Rally Championship Manager, Ian Campbell, said:

“We are excited to collaborate with PCSpecialist and AMD and the newly formed BRC Esports Invitational. The first round created a great deal of online buzz and excitement and we expect the second-round next week to be even more exciting. 

“The set-up our competitors have at home is just as professional as their real rally cars and the products from PCSpecialist and AMD are just as cutting-edge – fitting perfectly with the growing popularity and professionalism of the British Esports series.”

While Social Media and PR Specialist at PCSpecialist, Robb Boyd, added:

“In the current climate we’ve seen a wide range of sporting events turn to the simulation environment. As fans of sim racing, we are excited to be sponsoring the BRC invitational, providing high performance specifications on the AMD platform.

“From competitive gaming to sim racing, we strive to bring our customers the best hardware to support this competitive environment. We hope this sponsorship will bring the same excitement of the BRC experience to the simulation racing scene.”

21 competitors took part in the first round of the series, with times sheets topped by one of Britain’s top co-drivers, James Morgan. In real-world rallying he is usually co-driver for Rhys Yates. 

Running parallel to the invitational is the Motorsport UK eBRC, which is open to anyone who holds a Motorsport UK license, and is the first esports competition to be recognised by UK motorsport’s governing body. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Sim racing has seen an explosion of interest during the COVID-19 crisis, and it seems real-world drivers are taking to it like ducks to water (which is hardly surprising seen as though many use sims to practice). With a faster pace and cheaper production costs, it’s also a winner for organisations and broadcasters, so we’re sure its popularity will continue to grow even after the crisis passes. 

Staying with sim racing, last week we reported that Team Redline had partnered with Netherlands-based creative agency Triple. 

‘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

A record number of Formula 1 drivers have been confirmed for this weekend’s Virtual Monaco Grand Prix. 

Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas will be racing for the first time, along with six other drivers who have raced in previous Virtual Grands Prix; Alex Albon, Antonio Giovinazzi, George Russell, Nicholas Latifi, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc. 

The professional real-world F1 drivers will also be joined by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, from Premier League football club Arsenal, and Belgian international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who will be driving for Alfa Romeo following his 11th place finish in the Virtual Spanish GP. 

Alex Albon, who won at the Interlagos Circuit, will be partnered with big-wave surfer Kai Lenny, driving for Red Bull Racing, while Latin American singer Luis Fonsi will debut for Racing Point. 

The Virtual Monaco Grand Prix will be taking place on the same weekend that was originally scheduled for the real-world Monaco Grand Prix, and will take place at the virtual version of the Circuit de Monaco, with drivers racing remotely. 

A host broadcast will be live from the Gfinity Esports Arena from 18:00 BST on Sunday 24 May. It will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, in addition to Weibo and Huya channels in China. It will also be broadcast live through partners in over 100 countries, including on Sky Sports in the UK, ESPN in the US, and FOX Sports Asia across Southeast Asia. 

Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports at Formula 1, Julian Tan, said:

“The Virtual Grand Prix series has proven to be a fantastic live spectacle with over 20m viewers to date, providing fans with some racing entertainment during these challenging times.

“We are delighted to announce our strongest line-up of current F1 drivers alongside a star-studded list of global talent from the worlds of sport and entertainment, as we all stand together to put on great racing entertainment around the historic streets of Monaco, virtually.”

The F1 Esports Pro Exhibition race will precede the Virtual Grand Prix, and will begin at 17:00 BST on the official Formula 1YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, along with selected TV broadcasters. While the Formula 2 Virtual Racing event, featuring F2 and F3 drivers will also be live on the official Formula 1 YouTube and Twitch channels from 16:00 BST.  

AYO.NEWS says: 

From Formula 1 and NASCAR to World of Outlaws dirt racing and WRC, sim racing has seen a tremendous profile boost during the COVID-19 lockdowns, with broadcasters finding it surprisingly easy to entice traditional motorsports fans to the virtual world.

With much lower production costs and the ability to provide viewers with a faster, more engaging experience (lack of real-world delays etc), it seems sim racing may well have found a long-term place in the mainstream, even after the COVID-19 crisis passes. 

‘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

Bet365 has been confirmed as launch customer for SIS’ Competitive Gaming end-to-end esports solution.  

Sports Information Services (SIS) debuted its SIS Competitive Gaming product at ICE London in February this year. It includes live-streamed events, commentary, embedded betting triggers, and a range of markets and prices on esports. 

Commenting on the news Product Director at SIS, Paul Witten, said:

“SIS competitive gaming is designed specifically to appeal to existing sports bettors in a format that is familiar, and with fast paced action that allows multiple betting opportunities. Quality and integrity that has been built into the product from inception.”

The news means Bet365’s customers will get the ability to wager live on head-to-head esports, including those in the SIS Blitz League with NBA 2K. All SIS-approved matches will also benefit from monitoring by an integrity referee, trained by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC). 

AYO.NEWS says:

Despite Bet365 being one of the world’s biggest sports betting operators, it has lagged behind others in its esports offering. Clearly, the upsurge in esports betting caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns has made its executives “wake up and smell the coffee!”

Earlier today we reported that Isle of Man-based Luckbox has announced plans to publicly list on the TSX Venture Exchange, encouraged by the boom in esports betting.

‘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

North American esports organisation Evil Geniuses has completed the first phase of its rebranding, unveiling a new crest and player jerseys. 

LG Electronics USA has also been confirmed as an official marketing partner, featuring the best-in-class LG UltraGear gaming monitor. 

According to Evil Geniuses, the rebrand is a milestone for the organisation and designed to showcase its “core brand DNA,” to players, staff, partners and the community. The new assets are said to celebrate individualism and honour the organisation’s history, while looking to the future and “creating a path for competitive success.” 

Discussing the rebrand CEO of Evil Geniuses, Nicole LaPointe Jameson, said:

“Fueled by the passion of our unshakable community, we’ve finally given a face to our vision that’s not only representative and respectful of our past, but also dictates EG’s place in the future of esports.”

While chief gaming officer at Evil Geniuses, Phil Aram, added:

“Whether you cheered us to victory at TI5 in 2015, or you’re just becoming a fan of esports now, we strive every day to be there for our community. We look forward to seeing our players write the next chapter of EG championships while under a banner that’s truly symbolic of everything that we stand for.”

The new Evil Geniuses crest and LG UltraGear partnership logo have been incorporated into the new player jersey design, which also highlight individuality by including details unique to each player. 

AYO.NEWS says:

This is definitely one of the more sophisticated rebrands we’ve seen recently, with the subtle personalisation adding individuality while maintaining a coherent brand identity. Somehow, it also looks that bit more evil… but in a cool, hollowed-out volcano secret lair kind of way. 

Staying with Evil Geniuses, in March we reported the organisation had teamed up with the US Navy, for a partnership that includes a video series and mentorship program. 

‘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

G2 Esports has announced the release of #G2ARMY-themed non-medical face masks, with all proceeds going to support Charité, one of Europe’s largest university hospitals.

The Berlin-based esports organisation is launching the initiative to help support those on the front-line battling against COVID-19. Mastercard, a partner G2 Esports, will be covering all production and shipping costs of the masks, and watching all profits to support Charité.

Discussing the news G2 Esports CEO, Carlos “ocelote” Rodriguez, explained:

“We realize this is a challenging time for our fans around the world and want to do our part to fight against the coronavirus pandemic and support our communities.

“We are grateful for the brave front line medical workers who leave their homes every day so that we can stay safe in ours. It’s our hope that with the release of a branded G2 face mask, we can collectively come together as the #G2ARMY to play our part in fighting against COVID-19 while supporting our everyday heroes – healthcare workers.” 

While Vice President Marketing Communications at Mastercard Germany & Switzerland, Jessica Claar, added:

“We are pleased to strengthen our partnership with G2 Esports also during these unprecedented times. On top of the remote experiences we already delivered with G2, it is great to see that this partnership also supports the enormously important and valuable work of Charité.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With face masks the new must-have accessory, this is a great initiative from G2 Esports and Mastercard, and we imagine they’ll prove very popular. With experts predicting COVID-19 could be with us for a long time to come, and more waves of infection expected later this year, it’s important to keep up the fight. 

Staying with G2 Esports, a couple of weeks ago we reported the organisation had hired Jordan Bellar as its new New York City-based Business Development Manager. 

‘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