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☆ How soccer club Juventus is becoming one of the leading sports brands on social media despite 'tough times' on the pitch
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Juventus is a 127-year-old Italian soccer club with a long history of success. With 32.7 million followers, Juventus' account is the fifth-most-followed soccer team on the platform, and its audience is bigger than that of the NBA or WWE. It's also the sixth in the world across all social media, according to data from the soccer analysis platform Football Benchmark. From left: Juventus players Wojciech Szczęsny and Kenan Yıldız with YouTuber Celine Dept during the launch day of Juventus Creator Lab. One of the areas of the new Juventus Creator Lab.

Persons: It's, Juventus, Mike Armstrong, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, Armstrong, Filippo Alfero, he's, we've, fandoms, it's, Wojciech Szczęsny, Kenan Yıldız, Celine, Daniele Badolato Organizations: Juventus, UEFA Champions, NBA, WWE, Business, Juventus FC, Amazon Prime, YouTube, EA Sports, Getty, Juventus FC At Locations: Italian

☆ I'm a 26-year-old software engineer making $75,000, and still dream of becoming a professional e-sports athlete. Here's how I balance work and my gaming endeavors
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Andy Collins, a 26-year-old software engineer from Chicago pursuing a professional esports career playing the first-person shooting game Valorant. Being a professional esports competitor wasn't the most well-known or traditional career path at the time. Valorant has only been out for four years, but its professional esports scene is rapidly growing in popularity. Even though I'm playing far fewer hours per day than before — I only spend around four hours after work each day playing other teams and strategizing for my weekly matches — I'm in my best-ever form. Are you a professional esports athlete and want to share your story?

Persons: —, Andy Collins, didn't, would've, Valorant, — you've, DarkZero, Valorant esports, I'm, wasn't, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Robert Morris University ., Valorant's Challengers League, North American, League, —, The Guard, Riot Games, DoorDash, Starbucks, Madison Locations: Chicago, United States, Austin, Valorant, mhall@businessinsider.com

☆ Influencer-marketing startup Grin has laid off staffers in a new round of cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Amanda Perelli | Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The influencer-marketing platform Grin has laid off "many" staffers — in the company's third round of layoffs in recent months — a spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider. As the company grew, "a distance also grew" between the platform and its customers, the Grin spokesperson said in a statement. First, in November 2022, the company laid off 60 staffers, mostly in Grin's sales department, the company confirmed to BI at the time. Then, in March 2023, the company laid off several staffers across multiple departments, sources close to the company told Business Insider. The impacted staffers in this latest round of cuts will receive a three-month severance package and extended healthcare benefits, the Grin spokesperson said.

Persons: —, Grin, Brandon Brown Organizations: Business, Red, BI Locations: France

☆ Meet the diehard music fan who runs one of the world's busiest arenas
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Chris Johnston | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

London's O2 Arena is one of the world's busiest and sold a record 2.5 million tickets last year. The venue is managed by Steve Sayer, a music fan who previously worked for Manchester City. The O2 Arena presents comedy, boxing, UFC, esports and even monster trucks as well as music. AdvertisementIt may not be the world's most famous, but London's O2 Arena is now one of the busiest. Elton John on his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" Tour at the O2 Arena in April 2023.

Persons: Steve Sayer, —, Tom Jones, James Bond, Jason Derulo, Luke Dyson Sayer, Ateez, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, Prince, Sayer, Elton John, Monty Python, Adele, Simone Joyner, they're, Philip Anschutz, Dua Lipa, Karwai Tang, Joseph Okpako, there'd, that's, Madonna, Kevin Mazur AEG, It's, Liam Gallagher, Girls, Billy Joel's Organizations: London's O2, Manchester City, O2 Arena, UFC, Service, O2, AEG, London, AEG Europe, Billboard, The O2, WWE, Gorillaz, National Health Service, Qatar Airways, Madison Locations: Manchester, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Dua, London, New, COVID

☆ 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

The pay data includes salaries ranging from a data scientist position that offers $170,000 per year at Discord to a staff engineer role that earns $250,000 or more at Patreon. AdvertisementHere are the annual salaries for a job at FaZe Clan:Legal Counsel: $142,273 median starting range; from $133,308 to $194,437FaZe Clan did not respond to BI's request for comment. At LTK, a senior software engineer would make $130,000Courtesy of LTKLTK, formerly known as RewardStyle, is an affiliate-marketing and social-commerce platform used by influencers across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. At Teachable, a level II senior software engineer would make $190,000Teachable is a platform where creators can build and sell online courses and coaching programs. Here are annual salary ranges for several jobs at Teachable:Data Analyst : $69,826 to $85,000: $69,826 to $85,000 Senior Software Engineer : $160,000 to $180,000: $160,000 to $180,000 Senior Software Engineer - Core : $150,000 to $170,000: $150,000 to $170,000 Senior Software Engineer II : $190,000: $190,000 Software Engineer: $125,000 to $135,000Teachable did not respond to BI's request for comment.

Persons: upstarts, we're, Justin Kenna, they've, ByteDance, Teachable, Konstantin Savusia, James Nord, Brandon Brown, Ryan Brown, Brian Mechem, Warby Parker, Grin, Amanda Perelli, Anthony, Alex Zaccaria, Nick Humphreys, Linktree's, Amber Venz, Baxter, Read, Sydney Bradley, economy's, Patreon, Chris Best, Jason Henry Substack Organizations: YouTube, Business, FaZe, Safety, Software, Security, Enterprise Security, FaZe Clan, Fohr, Inc, Grin Technologies, Facebook, Keli Network Inc, Business Affairs, Jellysmack, Linktree, Ops, RewardStyle Inc, Networks, Mighty Networks, Mighty Software, Engineering, Sydney, Sydney Bradley One, BI, Staff, Social, Data Engineering, Trust, Quality Assurance, Hotmart, & $ Locations: California, New York, Texas, FaZe, Fohr, Jellysmack, Karat, Linktree, LTK, Instagram, Dallas , Texas, Teachable

☆ 37-year-old Microsoft Excel world champion: Here are my best spreadsheet tips for budgeting and productivity
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Andrew Ngai is a 37-year-old Australian actuary with an unexpected side gig: Microsoft Excel world champion. Ngai has competed against fellow Excel enthusiasts since 2018, and won his third straight Excel championship at Las Vegas' HyperX Esports Arena last month, taking home a prize of $3,000. Those challenges have ranged from creating complicated financial models to, in one case, analyzing fictional asteroid mining data from a space-themed multiplayer role-playing game called Eve Online. You don't have to be an actuary or Excel champion to use the software to become more productive at work or create a budget that can save you money, he says. Here are Ngai's top tips for Excel users at any level of expertise to use the program for budgeting and productivity:

Persons: Andrew Ngai, Ngai, Ngai —, he's, Taylor Fry Organizations: Microsoft, Las, YouTube, ESPN Locations: Las Vegas, Sydney

☆ 16 VCs that are funding the future of entertainment by backing generative AI and other disruptive tech
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

AdvertisementAfter a period of "wild west" investing in AI, Blank believes activity will favor AI companies that respect artists' consent and compensation. It recently co-led a $1 million seed round in Conduiit, which centralizes entertainment companies' production finance operations. Endeavor Venture InvestmentsEndeavor Venture Investments is the venture arm of entertainment and sports behemoth Endeavor. SWaN & LegendThe Virginia-based VC firm has a broad consumer portfolio that includes a number of entertainment investments. With Hollywood in contraction, SWaN has largely hit pause on new entertainment investments to get its portfolio companies on a strong footing.

Persons: Michael Blank, Blank, Jon Miller, Miller, Slack, Garnet Heraman, BDMI, Urs Cete, Michael, TMRW, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Elysian Park Ventures Jay Adya, Grant Lamos, Tom Brady, Gotham Chopra, Michael Strahan, Jay Adya, Morgan, Kushaan Ahuja, Drew Glover, Glover, Alex Harris, they've, Noah Doyle, Payback India, Jed Katz, Rich Greenfield, Rich, Ilya Pozin, Jamie Seltzer, LightShed, Steve Cohen's, it's, Sri Chandrasekar, Tripp Shriner, Ishan Sinha, That's, Wondery, Ian Doody, Raine, Gordon Rubenstein, Joe Ravitch, Jeff Sine, ‐, Fred Schaufeld, SWaN, that's, Oscar, Jose, Schaufeld, Sam Wick, Alex J, Investcorp, Paul Yoo, Edgar Bronfman Jr, Daniel Leff, Waverley, Leff Organizations: Service, Creative Artists, Connect Ventures, Business, Hollywood, Veteran, TPG, Integrated Media Co, Advancit, CAA, Bertelsmann, Waverley, Octopus Ventures, Accel, Facebook, Venture, Aperture Venture, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Fremantle, Connect, CAA Connect Ventures, New Enterprises Associates, TMRW Sports, Disney, Universal, Elysian Park Ventures, Elysian, Sports, Endeavor Venture, Endeavor Venture Investments, behemoth Endeavor, Dapper Labs, Fiat Ventures, Fiat Ventures Fiat Ventures, Fiat, Payback, Rent, LightShed, Rich Greenfield Influential, LightShed Ventures, Pluto, Apple, Octopus Ventures Octopus Ventures, Investments, Corp, Etsy, Re, Point72 Ventures New York Mets, Range Media Partners, Point72 Ventures, Sri, Powerhouse, Athletic, The New York Times Co, Evolution Media, Creative Artists Agency, Astro, Rave Digital Media, Accel Entertainment, Jose Andrés Media, Berliner, UTA Talent, UTA, UTA Ventures, Ventures, VR, Amazon, PFL Locations: blockchain, —, Conduiit, fintech, London, Australia, Papercup, Los Angeles, Virginia, UTA.VC

☆ With Washington Capitals, Wizards move to Virginia, owner Ted Leonsis pursues his vision of a $10 billion sports empire around Washington, D.C.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-14 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Glenn Youngkin (L) looks on during the announcement of a new sports arena for the Washington Wizards NBA basketball team and Washington Capitals NHL hockey team, on December 13, 2023 Virginia. Win Mcnamee | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesTed Leonsis, the owner of the NBA's Washington Wizards and the NHL's Washington Capitals, has a grand vision for growing a regional sports empire. Glenn Youngkin announced that the Capitals and Wizards have agreed to move to a new arena in Alexandria, Virginia, as part of a $2 billion entertainment complex in 2028. How will they compete with big market teams? "We could have a billion-and-a-half-dollar revenue run rate and a $10 billion to $15 billion trend of valuation," Leonsis said.

Persons: Ted Leonsis, Glenn Youngkin, Win Mcnamee, Leonsis, we'll, aren't, I'm, it's, It's, David Rubenstein, David Blitzer, Blackstone, James Dolan, Stan Kroenke, Kroenke, I've Organizations: Monumental Sports, Entertainment, Virginia Gov, Washington Wizards NBA, Washington Capitals NHL, Getty, Washington Wizards, NHL's Washington Capitals, CNBC, Summit, Washington , D.C, AOL, Capitals, Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital, D.C, Sports, Mystics, NHL, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, MLB, Carlyle Group, Bloomberg, Orioles, Red Sox, Fenway Sports Group, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins, Premier League's Liverpool, Philadelphia 76ers, New, New Jersey Devils, Washington, Cleveland Guardians, MSG, Sphere Entertainment, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, New York Knicks, Rangers, MSG Networks, Atlanta Braves Holdings, Liberty Media, Sports & Entertainment, Nuggets, Avalanche, Los Angeles Rams, Premier League's Arsenal FC, Qatar Investment Authority, MSG Sports, NHL's Rangers, NBA's Knicks, Phoenix Suns, NBA, Ottawa Senators, Braves Locations: Virginia, Alexandria , Virginia, Washington ,, Washington, London, Richmond, Delaware, New Jersey, Real Salt Lake, Denver, MLS's Rapids, Colorado, Monumental

☆ TikTok owner ByteDance is laying off hundreds of workers in a retreat from gaming
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant behind TikTok, is pulling back from video gaming in a shift that will result in hundreds of job cuts. “Mobile gaming revenue is in decline while user acquisition costs are rising,” he told CNN. She suggested ByteDance was simply looking to cut its losses, particularly since gaming still made up just a tiny sliver of its business. “[Even] if ByteDance exits game development and publishing, it will not dramatically impact their own business,” she added. China is the world’s biggest mobile and PC gaming market, according to Niko Partners.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — ByteDance, Nuverse, ”, ByteDance, Niko, we’ve, ” “, “, Lisa Hanson, Niko Partners, Neil Barbour, Tencent, ” Hanson, Hanson Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Niko Partners, Big Tech, P Global Market Intelligence, “ Mobile Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Pico, China

☆ How FaZe Clan's future owner hopes to rein in pissed-off talent and build a sustainable influencer business
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Several of its top talent have revolted against the company on social media over the past year. Beginning in late 2022, Nordan "FaZe Rain" Shat posted a series of YouTube videos criticizing FaZe's leadership and spending decisions. He would oversee the brand alongside Thomas "FaZe Temperrr" Oliveira, FaZe's proposed president, and Yousef "FaZe Apex" Abdelfattah, set to become FaZe's COO. GameSquare CEO Justin Kenna, a former CFO at FaZe, said he knew he needed buy-in from FaZe talent for the deal to move forward. GameSquare wrote in a press release announcing its FaZe deal that it expects to record more than $18 million in savings by cutting "duplicate corporate costs" and other expenses following a merger.

Persons: Shat, FaZe's, influencer Richard, FaZe, Bengtson, GameSquare, Thomas, Oliveira, Yousef, Justin Kenna, Kenna, Bengston, Lee Trink, Tyler, Ninja, Blevins, we're Organizations: FaZe, Nasdaq, Ninja Labs

☆ Esports joins Pan Am Games, but medals won't count
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But any medals won will not be added to their country's official total as they were at the recent Asian Games where esports had full medal status and was one of the most popular events drawing huge enthusiastic crowds. Like the Asian Games the Pan Am competition will be closely watched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as Esports makes a push for a spot on the Olympic programme. While esports is making its Pan Am Games debut, gamers have been part of many other multi-sport competitions, including the Commonwealth and the European Games. One reason esports medals are not being counted at the Pan Am Games is that gamers are not subject to doping controls like every other athlete in Santiago. Authorities in Hangzhou ploughed $627 million into building a new esports venue while the Pan Am Games competition will be staged in a tent in a grassy corner of the Games fan zone.

Persons: SANTIAGO, Esports, esports, Paul Foster, Foster, Steve Keating, Toby Davis Organizations: Pan American, Asian, International Olympic Committee, Pan Am, Commonwealth, European, IOC, Global Esports Federation, Doping Agency, Esports, Ams, Pan Am Games, Thomson Locations: Sunday's, esport, Santiago ., Hangzhou, Santiago

☆ FaZe Clan's plummeting valuation shows how risky it can be to bet your company's future on influencers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Dan Whateley | Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

While esports as a category has broadly struggled with monetization , FaZe's difficulties stemmed more from its reliance on just a few influencers for revenue. The company makes money through revenue splits with its talent, brand partnerships, and esports winnings. For FaZe, that revenue is often concentrated on the backs of a few big stars. "This was too nascent of a business model to be publicly traded with too much 'key person risk' around influencers," Chapman said of FaZe. GameSquare has subsidiaries like merchandise brand Mission Supply Co., influencer-marketing platform Sidekiq, and streaming data analytics firm Stream Hatchet, all of which could potentially be applied to the FaZe brand.

Persons: Influencers, Clan, monetization, Michael Metzger, Josh Chapman, FaZe, Chapman, Justin Kenna, Kenna, we're Organizations: Drake, Konvoy Ventures, Clubhouse Media, YouTube Locations: influencers, GameSquare

☆ Saudi Arabia launches Esports World Cup - statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman speaks with FOX News Channel, in an interview aired September 21, 2023, Neom, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsRIYADH, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Monday it was launching an annual Esports World Cup, which will include the most popular games in the world and have the largest prize pool in esports history. The competition will be held annually in Riyadh starting summer 2024, a statement from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said. Clubs will compete across games from various genres to become the ultimate Esports World Cup champion, the statement said. Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group, owned by sovereign wealth fund PIF, said last year it will invest 142 billion riyals ($37.8 billion) in initiatives aimed at making Saudi Arabia a global hub for gaming. "The Esports World Cup is the natural next step in Saudi Arabia's journey to become the premier global hub for gaming and esports, offering an unmatched esports experience that pushes the boundaries of the industry," the crown prince was quoted in the statement as saying.

Persons: Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Ros Russell Organizations: Saudi, Crown, FOX News, Saudi Press Agency, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, Saudi Crown, Clubs, Sports, Thomson Locations: Neom, Saudi Arabia, Rights RIYADH, Riyadh, Saudi

☆ After blockbuster Microsoft deal, gaming giants are still sitting on $45 billion cash hoard
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Public gaming companies currently hold cash and cash equivalents of $45.1 billion, according to a report from venture capital firm Konvoy. Publicly listed gaming companies had a fairly rosy year in 2023, on the whole. The VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF , which seeks to track MVIS Global Video Gaming & eSports Index, has climbed 20% in the year to date, according to Konvoy. Total venture funding into the video games industry in the third quarter of 2023 fell 9% quarter-over-quarter, to $454 million. That was when pandemic lockdowns were in full swing, and people had more time to spend playing video games indoors.

Persons: China's NetEase, hasn't, China's Tencent, Josh Chapman, Redmond, Chapman, Candy Crush, Konvoy's Chapman Organizations: Chesno Publicly, CNBC, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Bandai Namco, Public, Gaming, Esports, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, Netflix, Sony, Activision, U.S, U.K, Markets Authority, Duty, Bandai Namco Entertainment Locations: Konvoy, Washington

☆ 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

The two-week Asian Games offer a glimpse at a changing Mongolia, a vast nation sandwiched between China and Russia with only 3.3 million people. And there's also a bronze medal in men’s 3x3 basketball, where Mongolia edged South Korea 21-20. Mongolia has just over 400 athletes at the Asian Games, less than half the size of large delegations from China, Japan or South Korea. She called herself “a novice” breakdancer but has practiced with at least one member of the Mongolian team, Gan-Ulzii Ganbalt. “My generation is trying to change the way Mongolia is seen," she said.

Persons: —, Genghis Khan, “, breakdancing, Myagmarjav, ”, Mongolia’s, Chinzong Baatarsukh, there's, Tugstur Dashzevge, esports, “ There’s, Amarasana Chimeddorj, Majigsuren Organizations: breakdancing, Asian Games, Associated Press, Olympics, Soviet Union, “, Monaco, Mongolian Locations: HANGZHOU, China, Mongolia, Russia, America, Soviet, Ulaanbaatar, Asia, South Korea, Japan, Niger, Mongolian, Gan

"It's very special," said one of Taiwan's female breakers, 25-year-old Yang Jia-li, who added that breaking had massively boosted her confidence. Along with esports' debut as a medal event in Hangzhou, organisers hope "breaking" can help lure young viewers turned off by traditional Games sports. A counter-cultural art-form born in the streets of New York City decades ago, breakdancing is judged against broad criteria in competition. "But before the Olympics we've been doing competitions even in our (underground breaking) culture. “I'm getting used to it and I'm getting used to these sport rules.

Persons: breakdancing, Yang Jia, esports, Sun Zhen, Meng Changqing, Meng, Kim Heon, we've, Kim, I’m, “ I'm, ”, Sun, Ian Ransom, Ken Ferris Organizations: Asian Games, Paris, Sporting, Games, Asian, Thomson Locations: HANGZHOU, China, Eastern, Hangzhou, New York, South Korea

☆ South Korea breakdancing: Korean b-boys eye Asian Games and Olympic gold
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

South Korean breakdancing team Jinjo Crew at the World K-pop Concert in 2021. Jeon Jiye, or b-girl Fresh Bella, will feature for the South Korean delegation at the Asian Games. The veteran, from the legendary Jinjo Crew, is a multiple world champion and Asian Games gold medal contender. There is added motivation after the country’s emphatic success in fellow Asian Games debutant, esports. “At the Asian Games, we will see all of this.

Persons: John Jay Chon, Breakdancing, Seo, –, United States –, Ronald Reagan’s, Han Myung, breakdancing, “, ”, Jeon Jiye, Fresh Bella, Jiang Han, Kim Heon, Korea’s, Kim, esports, We’ve, ” Kim, ” Kim Heonwoo, ’, Kwon Jang, Kwon, ” Kwon, we’re, We’re, Chen Po Chun, Chen Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Korean, South, Asian, Summer, South Korean, World, Games, CNN, Getty, Asian Games, “ Locations: Hong Kong, Korea’s, Korean, American, South Korea, United States, Korea, Hangzhou, China, Paris, Bronx, Xinhua, South, Seoul, United Kingdom, Asia, Japan, somebodies

In the sports world, betting and gambling startups have started the last two years raising fewer and fewer funding dollars. While funding is harder to come by, startups are also facing changes in the world of sports business and technology. Insider recently released a list of the top VCs investing in sports and asked their founders, CEOs, partners, and directors what they would tell startups trying to break through. Chris GroveKey investments: Acies Investments and EKG Ventures are focused on sports, gambling, and technology. When we invest in a tech company, we have four criteria.

Persons: Tom Loverro, Cole Van Nice, Chris Grove, Chris, you've, There's, Courtside, Tom Brady, Michael Strahan's, Meredith McPherron, Alex Rodriguez, Topgolf Callaway, Brad Farkas, Steve Ahern, Lance Dietz, Craig Thompson, Michael Proman, Proman, Wayne Kimmel, SeventySix, It's, Lloyd Danzig, Sharp Organizations: Elysian Park, Acies Investments, EKG Ventures, Courtside Ventures, of Sports, Elysian Park Ventures, Club, Kinetics, PGA of America, HBSE Ventures, KB Partners, Mindspring, Scrum Ventures, Ventures, Japanese, Boom Entertainment, SeventySix, Vegas Sports Information, Inc, Entrepreneurs, Sharp Alpha Advisors Locations: Chris Grove, Chicago

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min secured the exemption after his Korean team won gold at the last Games in Jakarta in 2018. K-pop star Suga, songwriter and rapper for the boy band supergroup BTS, began the enlistment process for mandatory military service last month, making him the third BTS member to go off to perform the military duty. The military service law was amended several years ago to allow selected K-pop megastars to defer their service to aged 30, but not to avoid it entirely, with a large section of the population against giving stars like BTS special treatment. "We have players (in the current squad) who have been exempt from military service by winning gold medals in past editions of the games, but... we also several players who have not yet avoided military service. "But of course, because a gold medal gives one an exemption, and we have many who haven't done their service yet... we should perform at our best and get the gold."

Persons: Lee, Kelley L Cox, Son Heung, Kwon, Suga, Faker, Lee Sang, Baek, chul, Kim Woomin, I’m, ” Kim, Choo Il Seung, I'm, Heo Hoon, Martin Quin Pollard, Eduardo Baptista, Ian Ransom, Toby Davis Organizations: DRX, League of, Chase Center, USA, Rights, South, Hangzhou Asian Games, North, Asian Games, Tottenham Hotspur, Korean, BTS, League, China, Qatar, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, USA, Rights HANGZHOU, China, North Korea, South, Jakarta, Korea, Hangzhou, Qatar, Beijing

Sports has become a hot category for venture-capital investors in recent years. While other private investors like private equity firms have set their sights mainly on teams and leagues — looking to cash in on the rising costs of media rights and the growth of live events — early-stage investors are pouring money into startups innovating in areas like sports betting, esports, sports technology, analytics companies, NIL, and more. Insider is highlighting prominent venture-capital investors who are funding startups in sports. Insider compiled this list of investors based on our own reporting as well as nominations we vetted from readers and industry experts. Here are the 26 venture capital and other early-stage investors — listed alphabetically by company — that have made prominent investments in sports in 2023:

Persons: Brad Farkas, Pareek, Jake Paul, Joey Levy's Organizations: HBSE Ventures, trampolines

☆ 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

☆ Thailand win first esports medal as princess rides in
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - E-Sports - China Hangzhou Esports Centre, Hangzhou, China - September 26, 2023 Players from Team Thailand prepare before the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version Bronze Medal Match REUTERS/Ann Wang Acquire Licensing RightsHANGZHOU, China, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Thailand claimed the first esports medal awarded at the Asian Games on Tuesday in an event closely watched by Olympic officials as a princess of the kingdom made a royal entrance to the equestrian event. But an enthusiastic crowd of locals cheered on the Thais at the Hangzhou Esports Centre as they prevailed 2-0 in a best-of-three match for the popular mobile phone game developed by a Chinese tech firm. The players tapped their small screens furiously and communicated with team mates via headsets throughout a contest that stretched to nearly 40 minutes. If esports is the future of the Games, Thai Princess Sirivannavari Mahidol represented its past as she made a regal entrance on a horse named 'Es Fangar's Samba King' in the dressage team event. "Luckily our father is supporting us," said the princess, who represented Thailand in badminton at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar and equestrian at Incheon in 2014.

Persons: Ann Wang, Sirivannavari Mahidol, King Vajiralongkorn, Zhang Boheng, Zhang, Takeru Kitazono, nation's, Lee Hye, kyeong, Kwon, Martin Quin Pollard, Peter Rutherford Organizations: China Hangzhou Esports, Team Thailand, of Valor, REUTERS, Rights, Asian Games, Olympic, Vietnam, esports, Jakarta Asian, Thais, Hangzhou Esports, Thailand, Games, South, Doping Agency, Olympic Council of Asia, OCA, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China Hangzhou, China Hangzhou Esports Centre, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Thailand, Bangkok, Sorawat, India, Qatar, Incheon, North, Jakarta, Communist, Korean

Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - E-Sports - China Hangzhou Esports Centre, Hangzhou, China - September 26, 2023 Players from Team China talk during the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version Final REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHANGZHOU, China Sept 26 (Reuters) - China won the first gold esports medal in Asian Games history in the Eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Tuesday by beating Malaysia in the smartphone multiplayer battle game “Arena of Valor”, to delight fans in the world’s biggest esports market. the Chinese players shouted in a huddle on the stage just before the match began, triggering another loud cheer from spectators, before taking their seats for the "Arena of Valor" final. Thailand earlier claimed the Games' first esports medal by beating Vietnam for the bronze. The market generated $445 million in 2022 or 64.8% of the Asian esports market and China boasts 400 million esports fans, also the highest number globally, according to data from leading Asian video game market analysts Niko Partners. "Esports players are not just sitting on the chair.

Persons: Ann Wang, Tapping, Jiang Tao, Xu Bicheng, esports, Yvonne Yu, “, Xi Jinping, Serkan Toto, Niko Partners, Wong Kang Woon, Malaysia's, Martin Quin Pollard, Xihao Jiang, Ian Ransom, Ken Ferris Organizations: China Hangzhou Esports, Team China, of Valor, Rights, Malaysia, “, Valor, Asian Games, HK, Games, China Media Group, Research, Kantan Games, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China Hangzhou, China Hangzhou Esports Centre, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Thailand, Vietnam

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