This week in Esports: Spartak, Olympics, broadcast rights and MediaMarkt

It has been reported this week that a Alisports and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) have struck a deal which will see esports feature in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. Furthermore, Spartak Moscow the esteemed Russian football club have gne big in esports; League of Legends rights in Turkey have been acquired by Saran Media and ESforce and MediaMarkt have penned a partnership. 

Alisports and the OCA pen deal

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Hangzhou_Olympic_Sports_Expo_Center_05.jpg

A report by China Daily has stated that Alisports and the OCA have struck a deal which will see esports feature in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. It also means it will feature in some form at the 2017 Ashgabat Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. 

Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, President of the OCA stated: “We look forward to further collaboration with Alisports on digital sports concepts along with sporting events.”

Read further comment and the full article here.

Spartak Moscow go big in esports

One of Russia’s largest football clubs, Spartak Moscow, has made a broader move into esports. Adding to Sergei “KEFIR” Nikiforov, its FIFA player, Spartak has added CS:GO roster Rush3D and Dota 2 roster Team Empire to its books. Although details haven’t been officially confirmed, a press conference should be expected in the near future. 

Spartak Moscow are amongst the first Russian clubs to enter esports properly, though FC Anzhi signed Dota 2 player XBOCT, formerly of Na’Vi and Team Empire and popular in the CIS. We’ve heard little more of this story since this announcement in March. 

Read the full article here.

Saran Media acquire domestic rights to League of Legends in Turkey

Domestic rights to the Turkish Challenger League in League of Legends have been acquired by Saran Media according to SportBusiness reports.

The terms of the deal are undisclosed, but the League of Legends action will, according to SportBusiness reports, be broadcast on their premium channel S Sport along with highlights and other programmes. It will also broadcast the League of Legends World Championship Series, presumably in Turkish for the local audience.

In a year that many billed the battle for broadcasting rights, this is but another example of a deal being struck taking the broadcast away from traditional esports platforms and into the mainstream.

Read the full article here.

ESforce and MediaMarkt pen partnership

ESforce Esports Holding Company have signed a deal with MediaMarkta large operator in consumer electronic retail. The MediaMarkt chain includes over 800 stores spanning 15 countries. 

The announcement states that the companies ” intend to develop a mutual cooperation on the high-potential esports market, which will include support for professional and amateur team tournaments and local MediaMarkt tournaments, as well as launching co-branding projects with the participation of esports stars.” 

Read the full article here.