Esports

Richard Clarke reports back from the recent SXSW show in Austin, Texas, where he was impressed by the development of esports and the size of WWE’s social media department.

The World Esports Association (WESA) has introduced a ban on multi-team ownership as part of a number of regulations introduced to further professionalise esports.

The European division of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has partnered with the Esports Integrity Coalition (ESIC) in a move that is designed to enhance the integrity of the rapidly developing esports industry.

Mobile gaming company Nazara Games has announced plans to launch a professional esports league in India.

Video games publisher Riot Games has announced that Brazil and China will host the two showpiece events for its League of Legends (LOL) series in 2017, with the season finale having the potential to set a new attendance benchmark for a major esports event.

Dermot Ledwith looks at how brands are tapping into esports in the Spanish market.

US cable-television broadcaster the Big Ten Network, which is owned by the Big Ten Conference and Fox Entertainment Group, has joined forces with Riot Games, owner of the ‘League of Legends’ multiplayer online battle arena video game, to launch the first major college-level esports tournament in the country.

The Dutch Eredivisie has become the latest major European football league to launch its own esports competition.

Activision Blizzard has announced plans to launch a groundbreaking esports league. SportBusiness International looks at whether it will set a new commercial benchmark for the sector.

NBA basketball franchise the Miami Heat has acquired a stake in professional esports organisation Misfits, as part of a new strategic partnership between the two parties.

SportBusiness International speaks to a number of stakeholders from the esports industry and asks the following question: what will be the big trends in esports in 2017?

A growing group of blue-chip brands are sponsoring esports, but the majority remain on the sidelines. Why? Matt Cutler reports.

Happy Walters, former chief executive of the Relativity Sports agency, has launched Catalyst Sports & Media, a new company that will act as a strategic advisor, investor and talent representative for clients in the sports industry.

Activision Blizzard, an American interactive gaming and entertainment company, has announced it will launch a professional esports league in 2017.

It's still early days for esports and sponsorship. 'Non-endemic' brands are starting to dip their toes in the water, and the values of deals are starting to rise.

Esports was the hot topic at Leaders, writes Kevin McCullagh. Whatever you think of its merit as a sport, its role in the sports industry and whether it will live up to the hype, interest among the sports business community is ferocious and the esports sessions at Leaders were packed. So what did we learn?