Philadelphia-based esports infrastructure company Nerd Street Gamers has been confirmed as an operator and producer for the first stage of the 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour. 

Under the terms of the agreement with Riot Games, Nerd Street Gamers will lead registrations, operate, and produce all VALORANT Challengers and Masters events from January through March, after which another company will be selected as host. 

Commenting on the news CEO of Nerd Street Gamers, John Fazio, said:

“It’s an honour to be a part of VALORANT’s growth since its launch last summer. Riot Games’ efforts to provide opportunities for all gamers aligns with our own mission and further expands the esports landscape.

“We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done with Riot including powering the first North American Ignition Series and hosting the largest all-women VALORANT tournament. Producing the inaugural Champions Tour takes our collaboration to the next level and cements a foundation for the long term growth and sustainability of the path-to-pro ecosystem.”

While Director of Esports at Riot Games, Chris Greeley, added:

“Since the launch of VALORANT, Nerd Street Gamers has been a strong supporter of competitive VALORANT in North America. We are confident that the 2021 Champions Tour will help elevate North American teams to the next level.

“With various VALORANT tournaments under their belt, Nerd Street Gamers was a strong choice to partner with for the first stage of the Champions Tour. We’re excited to continue our partnership with Nerd Street Gamers and continue to build the esports ecosystem together.”

During 2020, Nerd Street Gamers worked with organisations including T1 and FaZe Clan to host Ignition Series tournaments for VALORANT. It also hosted the largest all-women VALORANT tournament, the FTW Ignition Series.

AYO.NEWS says:

We’re sure the 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour will get off to a great start under the care of Nerd Street Gamers – who are one of the most experienced esports infrastructure companies, and have already clearly developed a passion for the title. 

‘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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The LEC has announced a renewal of its partnership with gaming peripherals brand Logitech G for 2021. 

It will be the third year in a row that Logitech G has supported the League of Legends European Championship, and will see the company once again provide LEC players with top-of-the-range accessories, including keyboards, mice, and mousepads. 

The brand will also continue to sponsor the LEC’s Mechanics segment, which gives fans an insight into the technical prowess of the league’s best players. 

Commenting on the news, Global Category Head Pro Series & Esports at Logitech G, Henning Christiansson, said:

“We are proud to be one of the founding partners of the LEC and to be able to participate in the construction and development of what has become the most prominent western esports league.

“For us, the LEC brings together all the values one looks for in a first-class partner, and that is why we are excited to extend this adventure for another two years.”

While Head of Sponsorships & New Business EU Esports at Riot Games, Alban Dechelotte, added:

“We’re really proud to be working with one of the best gaming peripherals providers in the world for the third year running.

“Everything that Logitech G lays out for our players is absolutely top of the range, and their knowledge of the game is second to none. We value our partnership so much that we’ve signed on with them for a multi-year deal! I can’t wait to see what unfolds going forward and how the collaboration will evolve.”

Staying with the LEC, earlier this week South Korean car maker Kia, energy drink brand Red Bull, gaming chair company Secretlab, and appliance brand Beko have all been confirmed as returning partners for 2021. 

The LEC returns to lolesports.com on Friday 22 January at 17:00 CET

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English Premier League football club Manchester City is teaming up with US esports organisation FaZe Clan to host a Fortnite tournament. 

The event, which takes place tomorrow (21 January 2021), will feature 100 players and content creators, including talent from FaZe Clan and Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, and is being held to mark the launch of the game’s new Kickoff Set cosmetic bundle. 

Featuring kits from 23 football clubs, including Manchester City, Wolves, and Juventus, the new Kickoff Set will allow Fortnite players to show their support for their teams in-game.

Discussing the event CEO at FaZe Clan, Lee Trink, said:

“The FaZe City Cup featuring Fortnite is an important illustration of our groundbreaking partnership with Manchester City. Alongside Manchester City, we are thrilled to be a part of a competitive tournament in Fortnite. We look forward to building this tournament and producing more entertaining competitions in the future.”

While Chief Marketing Officer at City Football Group, Nuria Tarre, added:

“The FaZe City Cup featuring Fortnite is an exciting first for the club in one of the most popular gaming titles globally and we hope fans worldwide will get involved in the competition and wear their Manchester City outfits in-game with pride.

“Given their significant existing presence within Fortnite, we are delighted to partner with FaZe Clan on this competition. It is further testament to our partnership with FaZe Clan, through which we will continue to explore opportunities to bring our fans new and immersive ways to engage with the club.”

The partnership between Manchester City and FaZe Clan, which dates back to September 2019, has so far resulted in merchandise, collaborative content, and events in both Manchester and Los Angeles. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Manchester City’s partnership with FaZe Clan reflects how the club was one of the first to appreciate the potential of the wider esports and gaming ecosystem, beyond obvious football-related titles like FIFA,  to connect with its fans around the world. It’s great to see the partnership is still evolving and growing, and the new Fortnite football cosmetic offerings are a great way for clubs maximise their presence in the metaverse. 

Staying with officially licensed sports content on Fortnite, in November 2020, Epic Games announced an expansion of its partnership with the National Football League (NFL), covering updated Gridiron Gang Outfits from all 32 official NFL teams. 

‘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.

Danish esports company Astralis is teaming up with Universal Music Denmark for a new initiative. 

According to a statement, the project aims to “provide artists from different backgrounds, who share a passion for gaming, a room to play and create new music inspired by the passion they share and live.”

To The Stars, written and performed by Danish artist Mattis, has been released as the first song of the initiative – sharing its title with Astralis’ tagline. The project will also see Astralis work with musicians to create exclusive tracks for the organisation.

Discussing the partnership Co-founder of Astralis, Jakob Lund Kristensen, said:

“Together with Universal Music, today we have launched a new cross-culture initiative to amplify the close connection between the global cultures of music and gaming. Just like music, esports and gaming knows no borders and does not distinguish between age, gender, religion, or anything else than the passion you share. 

“This is what we want to celebrate by creating a room for different artists to tell their own story, share their passion for gaming and to become an even more integrated part of the gaming culture.

“It is all about embracing the positives of music, gaming, and passion. We want to be an even larger part of the daily life of Astralis fans, also outside tournaments, but we also invite all others, who might not have a close relation to gaming, to come closer and feel some of the passion.”

While Mattis, writer and performer of To The Stars, added:

I love the way Astralis embrace music as a part of the gaming and esports culture. As a musician, I use gaming to relax and to recharge, and I know that many gamers use music to get hyped before a game or to calm down afterwards. 

“No matter who you are and how you keep your mental balance, 2020 has reminded us all how much we depend upon each other, and if this song can in any way contribute positively to a feeling of moving forwards and upwards, together, I have reached my goal.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Given that music is an integral part of video games and the gaming community, in the same way it’s a core part of movies, television and the rest of pop culture, it was always natural that the industries would develop ever closer ties. However, over the past year or so, we’ve really seen esports organisations actively embrace music, bringing artists and producers onboard, and partnering with record companies. 

Just last week, the LEC confirmed it was welcoming Warner Music Central Europe back as its Official Music Partner for 2021, while last year esports organisation OverActiveMedia, owner of Toronto Defiant, Toronto Ultra, and MAD Lions, announced a strategic partnership with Universal Music Canada. 

‘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.

Garena has revealed plans for the upcoming 2021 Brazilian Free Fire League (LBFF).

Commencing on 23 January, the LBFF will consist of three divisions and three splits through the year, with events broadcast from the Garena studios in São Paulo and played remotely due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The league will feature a $2.4M BRL (approx. $450K USD) prize pool across the three splits.

The 18 teams in the LBFF 2021 first division are:

Group A

SS E-Sports, Cruzeiro, INTZ, B4, LOUD, Fluxo

Group B

Vivo Keyd, Corinthians, Team oNe, Black Dragons, FURIA, Flamengo

Group C

Team Liquid, Red Canids Kalunga, Santos, paiN Gaming, GOD eSports, Meta Gaming

In addition to being streamed on Garena’s own platform BOOYAH!, and YouTube, the 2021 LBFF will also make its debut on new Brazilian gaming culture TV channel Loading. 

Reflecting the growing international popularity of the league, English-language YouTube broadcasts will be available for the first time, featuring British hosts Carol Bombshell and Jon Cotterill (Globo and Brazilian Soccer Confederation soccer commentator). 

Though eclipsed elsewhere, Free Fire is now one of Brazil’s most popular esports titles – illustrated by the fact that last year’s Free Fire Continental Series, which the top LBFF teams qualified for, attracted some 2.5M simultaneous viewers. 

Staying with Free Fire, at the end of 2020, Garena announced Cristiano Ronaldo as the latest global brand ambassador for the battle royale game.

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VBET has been announced as new title sponsor of Swedish esports organisation Alliance.

The deal marks the Malta-based betting operator’s entry into the world of esports sponsorships, and will help Alliance create more content for fans and expand into new titles and regions.

VBET will also be hosting an ‘ultimate fan experience’ competition, offering the chance to win a trip to Dota 2’s The International, and Alliance will host charity poker tournaments, featuring both team members and special guests. 

Regarding the news Head of Esports at VBET, Eduard Avagyan, said:

“We are pleased to announce our new partnership with Alliance. Alliance has had a massive impact on esports and a history of commitment to esports. We believe that our experience and shared values of loyalty, respect, and community-oriented culture will make our partnership great.”

While CEO and Co-founder of Alliance, Jonathan Berg, added:

“It’s with great pleasure that I welcome VBET to the Alliance family and I’m honoured that they have chosen to enter esports for the first time together with us.

“I’ve gotten to know the VBET team over the past months and I’m confident in saying that this is just the start of a long-lasting partnership that will help us support our players better as well as bring fans closer to us.”

VBET was founded in 2003, and today offers betting on traditional sports and esports, along with an online casino and skill-based games to customers in markets including the UK, France, and Germany. The operator also has partnerships with several football clubs, including AS Monaco, Portsmouth FC, and FC Pyunik. 

Alliance currently fields rosters in PUBG Mobile, Trackmania, Smash, Dota 2, Fortnite, and Apex Legends.

Staying with Alliance, in November 2020 the organisation confirmed it was joining Chiliz’ Socios.com fan rewards and engagement program. 

AYO.NEWS says:

VBET is in good hands with Alliance, as the organisation also helped introduce both Monster Energy and HyperX to esports back in the day. We’re sure it’s just the start of a long relationship, and just the first of many esports partnerships for the betting operator. 

‘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.