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☆ Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, worth more than $60M, hopes to send ‘positive message’ to struggling industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Boasting the largest prize pool in esports history, this year’s inaugural 2024 Esports World Cup (EWC) could prove to be a pivotal moment for the industry. Clubs will be able to choose which games they participate in before the best performing team across the various championships will be crowned the ultimate Esports World Cup champion for the very first time. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, hopes this new competition in Saudi Arabia can be a game changer. “Setting the record for largest esports prize pool is a remarkable achievement, but what I’m most proud of is the positive message this sends to the wider esports and gaming community,” Reichert said in a statement. In 2023, Saudi launched ‘The National Gaming and Esports Strategy’ (NGES) which hopes to make the country the center of the competitive gaming world by 2030.

Persons: Ralf Reichert, ” Reichert, Saudi Arabia –, “, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ” Organizations: CNN, Apex, EA Sports FC, of, League, Riot, New York Times, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Saudi, National Gaming, Saudi’s, New Global Sport Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ EA to lay off 5% of workforce, or about 670 employees
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Alex Koller | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An Electronic Arts video game logo is seen at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. The company's announcement marks the latest headcount reduction among video game developers in recent months, continuing a broader trend of significant downsizing across the tech industry. On Tuesday, Sony said it would lay off about 900 employees in its PlayStation division, or 8% of its workforce. EA CEO Andrew Wilson wrote in a memo to employees on Wednesday that the video game company is "streamlining our company operations to deliver deeper, more connected experiences for fans everywhere." "We are continuing to optimize our global real estate footprint to best support our business," Wilson wrote in his Wednesday note.

Persons: Andrew Wilson, Wilson, —, Steve Kovach Organizations: Arts, Electronic Entertainment, Electronic Arts, EA, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Sony, PlayStation, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, SEC, Apex, EA Sports FC, Madden NFL, CNBC PRO

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Las Vegas will be flooded with so many pre- Super Bowl events that Shaquille O'Neal lowered the prices to his popular carnival-themed “ Shaq's Fun House. “Las Vegas isn't ready for the show we're about to bring,” Big Boi said. The stars of the CBS show “The Neighborhood” will host the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration at the Palms Casino Resort on Wednesday night. MALUMA & SIRIUSXMColombian superstar Maluma will take his vibrant Latin music vibes into Las Vegas with the help of SiriusXM. ___More on the Super Bowl: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl

Persons: Shaquille O'Neal, O'Neal, We're, ”, He'll, Lil Wayne, Diplo, DJ Diesel, Rob Gronkowski, Michael Rubin, Beyoncé, Jay, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Kendall Jenner, Rubin, Travis Scott, Meek, Lil Baby, Fabolous, Ludacris, Laroi, Mike, OutKast, Big Boi, Kevin Hart, Deon Cole, D.L, Desi Banks, Aida Rodriguez, Cedric, Tichina Arnold, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Robin Thicke, Tully Banta, Cain, Bryan Scott, Arnold, “, Nate Burleson, —, DJ Afrojack, Gronkowski, BILLY IDOL, Billy Idol, Idol, he's stoked, Maluma, He's, Don Juan ”, “ COCO LOCO ”, David Guetta, Jack Harlow, Wynn, Zach Bryan, Tiësto, LIV, Savage, Guy Fieri, Leigh Steinberg Organizations: ANGELES, NBA, Fun, Wynn, Sports Illustrated's, Hamptons, Cosmopolitan, MADDEN, EA Sports, Madden, of, Madden NFL, Theatre, CBS, NFL, Super, Sunday, Location's, Touchdown Club, SIRIUSXM, Virgin Hotels, Pandora, Las, GQ, Nomad Library Locations: Las Vegas, Sin City, Encore, Atlanta, Hughley, Palms, British, Allegiant, Vegas, Fontainebleau

☆ Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson on EA Sports FC 24: All metrics are very strong
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailElectronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson on EA Sports FC 24: All metrics are very strongElectronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the revenue growth opportunity for EA after discontinuing their partnership with FIFA, where Wilson sees the M&A landscape in gaming post-Activision and Microsoft merger, and more.

Persons: Andrew Wilson, Wilson Organizations: Electronic, EA Sports FC, Electronic Arts, EA, FIFA, Activision, Microsoft

☆ Esports made their 'tense and exciting' debut at this year's Asian Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Esports, or professional video gaming, were an official sport at the Asian Games for the first time. AdvertisementAdvertisementEsports, or competitive video gaming, debuted as an official event at this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, China that concluded earlier this month. Due to the event's popularity, esports tickets were sold on a lottery basis, with more than five million entering the ballot, according to Hangzhou Asian Games data. We're excited to see the landscape of esports events around the world expand," said John Robinson, president of US esport organization 100 Thieves. The Olympic Esports Series is "a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the IOC, and in collaboration with International Federations and game publishers."

Persons: —, esports, Chris Liu, Liu, Esports, JADE GAO, John Robinson, Kim Gwanwoo, WANG ZHAO, Matt Woods, AFK, Grant Rousseau, " Rousseau Organizations: Asian Games, of, EA Sports FC Online, Singapore, Service, Professional, EA Sports FC, South Korea, Team Malaysia, China, Xinhua News Agency, South, Associated Press, Fighter, Getty, Olympic, IOC, International Federations, Guardian, Team Falcons Locations: Hangzhou, China, Thailand, Wuxi, esports, Asia, Pacific, US, South Korea, AFP, Los Angeles

☆ Concerns around a rebrand in this video game maker's line-up are overblown, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors are way too worried about the impact a rebranding of Electronic Arts ' FIFA video games could have on the stock, according to Bank of America. The bank upgraded the video game maker's stock to buy from neutral and raised its price target to $150 from $145. A decadeslong partnership between FIFA — soccer's governing body — and Electronic Arts came to an end last year, when the company announced its longtime video game franchise would be rebranded to EA Sports FC. Additionally, Dessouky said that the company's new game video game could provide upside to consensus estimates and guidance in the near term and beyond, especially following above-trend growth in the PC and console gaming market. "We expect the PC/Console software market to grow above trend (mid/high single digits) in CY24 and beyond," the analyst wrote.

Persons: Omar Dessouky, Dessouky, Michael Bloom Organizations: Electronic Arts, FIFA, Bank of America, FIFA —, EA Sports FC, EA, SPORTS FC Locations: Monday's, CY24

☆ Asian Games: South Korea's Esports stars target medal success -- and a military exemption
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

For South Korean male participants, winning a gold medal in the Asian Games or Olympic Games not only brings honor but also grants them a military exemption. However, the mandatory duty can be waived for some athletes, in particular those who win an Olympic medal or a gold medal in the Asian Games. Seven games will be featured as official medal events at the 19th Asian Games, building on the success of the pilot event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. The venue for the Asian Games esports competitions is state-of-the-art and an impressive sight to see. With its inclusion as an official Asian Games medal event, the possibility of esports becoming a part of the Olympic Games is a topic of growing debate.

Persons: Suga, Oh, Wang Zhao, Son Heung, ” Shin, ”, esports, ” Kim Sa, “, ” Lee Kyung, Kwak, hyouk, it’d, ” Kwak, Thailand’s Teedech, Lee Sang, –, Michael Chow, Yoonjung Seo, Michael Jordan, ” Chow, Faker, JUNG YEON, Philip Fong, Rowan Crothers, “ I’m, I’ll, ” Crothers, Jess Bolden, Chow, Niko, Young Organizations: CNN, Gaming, Hangzhou Asian Games, Asian Games, Games, BTS, Asian, Getty, Premier League soccer, Tottenham Hotspur, Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, “ Times, CNN Sport, FIFA, Hangzhou, South Korea, Believer Company, Riot, South, Team Korea, League, “ League, SK Telecom, Riot Games, Microsoft Studios, Xbox, Studios, International Federation of, Phonographic Industry, EA Sports FC Online, PUBG, of Valor, of, Olympic, International Olympic Committee, Maekyung Media, Paralympic, IOC, Kodikara, International Federations, Niko Partners Locations: South Korea, Hangzhou, AFP, Seogwipo, Jeju, Republic of, Seoul, esports, Jakarta, South, . South Korea, Palembang, Asia

But now, three powerhouses —the NFL, Interscope Geffen A&M Records and Electronic Arts Sports — have partnered to empower players to pursue their music dreams. It’s the first-time music made by NFL players appears in the video game franchise, now in its 35th year. “These dudes can rap,” said Bas, a Grammy-nominated rapper who shared his musical expertise during the players recording sessions. People see like these big NFL players and they say ‘Do your one job, tackle somebody or run that route.’ But creativity is part of a healthy life. It’s humbling to watch.”Many of the songs featured on “Crowd Control” were conceived in a songwriting session at Interscope this summer where NFL players worked with producers and artists.

Persons: Terron Armstead, Interscope Geffen, “, ’ ”, Armstead, Pro Bowler, it’s, Darren Waller, Ray, Ray McCloud, Melvin Ingram, Chark Jr, can’t, ”, Waller, Thomas “ Fats ” Waller, Bowler, Jay Rock, Lebra Jolie, Derrick Milano, Justin Bieber, Megan Thee, Nicki Minaj, they’re, They’re, David Nieman, aren’t, Ashley Smith, Smith, Trey Smith, you’re, there’s, ” Smith, ” McCloud, McCloud Organizations: Miami Dolphins, NFL, M Records, Electronic Arts, —, Madden NFL, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, D.J, Interscope Records, Interscope, EA Sports, Kansas City Chiefs Locations: SANTA MONICA, Calif, San Francisco, Santa Monica , California

☆ Video-gaming revenue to grow 2.6% in 2023 on console sales strength - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Akshita Toshniwal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A worker holds a Playstation 5 at a Best Buy store during Black Friday sales in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., November 25, 2022. REUTERS/Jim VondruskaAug 8 (Reuters) - Global video-games market would return to growth in 2023 on the back of strong sales of consoles such as Sony's Playstation 5, according to gaming market research firm Newzoo. Newzoo said it expects industry revenue to rise 2.6% to $187.7 billion in 2023, driven by a 7.4% rise in console sales in the year. Market research firm Circana said U.S. consumer spending on video-game hardware was up by 23% in the first half of 2023. Reporting by Akshita Toshniwal and Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi MajumdarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Newzoo, Tom Wijman, Circana, Akshita Toshniwal, Chavi Mehta, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Black, REUTERS, Gaming, PlayStation, Sony, Activision, Electronic Arts, EA Sports FC, Newzoo, Apple, Google, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Sam Kerr: the superstar carrying Australia’s hopes on her shoulders
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Even as a 15-year-old, Sam Kerr had the weight of a nation on her shoulders. Fast forward to 2023 and Kerr is one of best players in the game and a global star. Kerr has had to wait longer than expected for the honor at this tournament having been forced to miss Australia’s opening two games because of injury. But a surprise defeat to Nigeria in the Matildas’ second group game have left their hopes hanging by a thread. Kerr takes a selfie as she celebrates with her Chelsea teammates after winning the Women's FA Cup in 2022.

Persons: Sam Kerr, Kerr, Alyssa Mautz, ”, Tony Gustavsson, Don Arnold, Tony, it’s, I’m, ’ Kerr, Daniel, Bobby Despotovski, “, ” Despotovski, Nicola Williams, ” Williams, Williams, Mautz, ” Mautz, she’s freakin, ” Kerr, Ryan Pierse, Western New York Flash, Rich Barnes, Vanessa DiBernado, Vanessa, ‘, ’ ”, …, swag, Michael Regan, –, Eddie Keogh, she’s, She’s, soccer’s Organizations: CNN, Australia, Perth Glory, Chicago Red Stars, National Women’s Soccer League, FIFA, reining Olympic, Canada, coy, Sydney Opera House, Getty, Reuters, West Coast Eagles, Australian Football League, Glory, AFL, CNN Sport, Western New York, Sky Blue FC –, NY Gotham FC, Western New York Flash, Perth, Sky Blue, Chelsea, Super League, Red, League, – Chelsea, EA Sports Locations: Canberra, Italy, Australia, Brisbane, New Zealand, South Korea, Nigeria, Western Australia, Chelsea, NJ, Rochester , New York, Perth, Illinois, –, Chicago, London

☆ Lehmann most influential women's player on Instagram ahead of World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Lehmann told talkSPORT recently: "Some people just see Instagram and social media and don't even know I actually play football ... Lehmann, who scored six goals in 31 games for Aston Villa this season and has 38 caps, comes in ahead of Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas, U.S. striker Morgan, and England captain Leah Williamson, who will miss the World Cup with a knee injury. Each Instagram post from Lehmann and Putellas, who in 2021 was the first player to win the UEFA Women's Player of the Year, Ballon d'Or Feminin and The Best FIFA Women's Player award in the same year, deliver over $100,000 of media value to brands. The rankings, created ahead of the World Cup that kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, are based on Nielsen's measurement tool InfluenceScope. Cristiano Ronaldo has the most Instagram followers among male players with over 530 million.

Persons: Alisha Lehmann, Alex Morgan, Jon Stainer, Nielsen InfluenceScope, MJ Jones, Roger Federer, Lehmann, talkSPORT, Alexia Putellas, Morgan, Leah Williamson, Putellas, Germany's Jule Brand, Megan Rapinoe, Jordyn Huitema, Alessia Russo, Sakina Karchaoui, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lori Ewing, Ken Ferris Organizations: Nielsen Sports, EA Sports, Coca, Twitter, Aston Villa, UEFA, FIFA, VfL Wolfsburg, Thomson Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Swiss, Spain, U.S, Nielsen's, Marta, Brazil, Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand

☆ EA's CMO reveals how he'll keep the video game giant's soccer franchise rolling without FIFA branding
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

EA's "FIFA" series is a big revenue driver, but its next soccer video game won't have that branding. CMO David Tinson reveals his plan to drive fans to EA's new soccer franchise EA Sports FC. Electronic Art's marketing muscle is going to have to do some heavy lifting this year to build a new powerhouse brand around its soccer video game series. In 2022, EA and FIFA ended a licensing partnership that lasted nearly three decades and helped make the "FIFA" video game series the most popular sports franchise of all time. This is a key component to making sure fans of the "FIFA" franchise glom onto the new one.

Persons: David Tinson, Andrew Wilson, Tinson, we've, hadn't Organizations: FIFA, EA Sports FC, EA, FC Barcelona's Camp, Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Nike Locations: FC Barcelona's Camp Nou, Real Madrid

☆ EA's quarterly bookings beat estimates on 'FIFA' strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 9 (Reuters) - Videogame publisher Electronic Arts Inc (EA.O) beat fourth-quarter booking estimates on Tuesday as the latest installments in its "FIFA" and "Madden NFL" series kept gamer interest strong, sending the company's shares up 3.3% after the bell. EA reported net bookings of $1.95 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with Refinitiv estimates of $1.76 billion. "Record live services performance and increased engagement, particularly from our EA Sports FIFA franchise, drove better-than-expected Q4 net bookings," Chief Financial Officer Chris Suh said. EA also said it expects fiscal 2024 net bookings between $7.30 billion and $7.70 billion, compared with estimates of $7.52 billion. Bookings outlook for the current quarter was in line with expectations.

☆ A lot of money is on the line for women's pro soccer in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Restore faith in women's soccer and grow the business. The league averaged 37 sponsorship deals per team, which is more than any other women's sport, according to sports data and intelligence platform Sponsor United. Women's pro soccer valuations are also soaring. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman speaks during the 2023 NWSL Draft at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on January 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Culture changeOL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe (15) scores on a penalty kick during the second half of the National Womens Soccer League game between NJ/NY Gotham FC and OL Reign on September 21, 2022 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

☆ Top DAZN exec reveals how the streamer is gearing up to super-serve fans in 2023, moving beyond boxing, and betting big on women's sports
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

We've also invested heavily in women's boxing. You are starting to see real, meaningful growth in women's sport now and that comes in different forms. The professionalism of the production in women's sport, we've been central to driving that forward. In the US, boxing fans in this country are disproportionately Hispanic relative to the wider population. The real business for us is the ongoing monthly subscription relationship that we have with boxing fans in this country, or soccer fans in Germany or Italy, and baseball fans in Japan.

[1/3] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Preview - Doha, Qatar - October 12, 2022 An image of Brazil's Neymar is seen on a building REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/FilesJOHANNESBURG/BENGALURU, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Brazil are tipped to claim the World Cup for the sixth time in the tournament that kicks off Nov. 20 in Qatar, according to a Reuters poll that last successfully predicted the champions in 2010. The global survey of 135 football-following market analysts worldwide agreed with the bookmakers that Brazil would triumph for the first time since 2002. Almost half of respondents expected Brazil to win while 30% were evenly split between France and Argentina. If France were to retain the trophy they would be the first to do so since Brazil in 1962. Reuters Poll- 2022 FIFA World CupQatar has reportedly spent around 220 billion dollars on hosting the tournament - almost fifteen times more than the second-most expensive one - but 41% of respondents said it would have no long-term economic impact.

☆ Here are Tuesday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Meta, Lyft, Nvidia, Roblox, Freshpet & more
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Tuesday: Deutsche Bank reiterates Roblox as buy Deutsche says it expects a strong earnings report for Roblox when the online gaming platform company releases results on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank upgrades Dave & Buster's to buy from hold Deutsche said in its upgrade of the stock that it sees a "compelling" risk/reward. Bank of America reiterates Meta as neutral Bank of America says it sees too many headwinds for Meta shares right now. Bank of America reiterates Nvidia as buy Bank of America says it's standing by shares of Nvidia heading into earnings next week. Deutsche Bank reiterates Electronic Arts as a top pick Deutsche says it's very bullish on the company's upcoming release slate. "

☆ From Apple AirPods and Squishmallows to 'Encanto' toys, here are some of the most anticipated gifts this holiday season, according to Adobe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"The shape of the holiday season will look different this year, with early discounting in October," Patrick Brown, Adobe vice president of growth marketing and insights, said in a statement. Here are the toys, gaming devices, games, and other gifts that Adobe predicts will be the most popular items this holiday season. SquishmallowsThe stuffed animals come in all sizes, shapes, and colors and are expected to once again be popular this holiday season. Xbox Series XThe Xbox Series X is the fastest, most powerful Xbox yet, per Microsoft. Apple Watch Series 8/UltraThe new Apple Watch Series 8 comes in eight different colors, with either a 41-millimeter or 45-millimeter case.

☆ Лига Чемпионов и другие планы киберфутбольного «Шерифа»
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-13 | by ( ) novostipmr.com time to read: +1 min

1 февраля на киберарене стартует eChampions League – розыгрыш в рамках турнира EA SPORTS™ FIFA 21 Global Series. Тираспольский «Шериф» в этом розыгрыше будет представлять Виктор Раковский. С начала февраля тираспольчанин стартует в квалификационном турнире eChampions League. В тираспольском дерби Виктор Раковский сойдется с киберклубом «СКА-Армеец». «Из-за пандемии все турниры у нас проходят в режиме онлайн», - говорит Виктор Раковский, подмечая, что надеется еще на выездные соревнования в Киеве и Кельне.

Persons: Виктор Раковский, Виктор, Раковский, Вадим Палас Organizations: League, EA SPORTS, FIFA, eChampions League, – LIONS, Шериф, УЕФА, СКААрмеец Locations: –, Тирасполь, Приднестровье, Германия, Великобритания, США, Россия, Киев, Кельн

☆ Which drink is best for hydration? Milk is better than water
▼ + stars: | 2019-09-25 | by ( Lisa Drayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —When you’re thirsty and in need of a drink, which beverages are best at keeping you hydrated? Milk also has sodium, which acts like a sponge and holds onto water in the body and results in less urine produced. The most hydrating beverages, ranked The research team at St. Andrews University tested 13 common beverages to see how they impact hydration. If the choice is between soda and water for hydration, go with water every time. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, which causes you to pass more urine, so when it comes to alcoholic beverages hydration will depend on a beverage’s total volume.

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