Esports

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?

The Ligue de Football Professionnel, which operates the French football league, has teamed up with game developer Electronic Arts’ EA Sports division to launch e-Ligue 1, a nationwide esports competition.

NBA basketball franchise the Philadelphia 76ers has acquired esports teams Dignitas and Apex in a deal that marks a first for a North American sports club.

A guide to the segments that make up the esports industry, how they fit together, and how revenue flows through the ecosystem.

To understand esports, you must understand what role games publishers - the companies that create and sell games - play in the sector.

Seven North American esports teams have joined together under the banner of the Professional Esports Association (PEA) to launch a series of new leagues and competitions.

Esports company ESL has entered into a partnership with sports and live entertainment firm Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) in an effort to extend its global reach, while interactive entertainment company Activision Blizzard has appointed veteran Fox Sports executive Pete Vlastelica to lead its Major League Gaming (MLG) arm.

In the first piece from our new esports content channel, we take a critical look at the differing valuations of the industry, and its landmark deals to date.

Ken Hershman, former president of the HBO Sports division of US pay-television broadcaster HBO, has been appointed as executive chairman and commissioner of the World Esports Association (WESA).