ESL has announced a partnership with Salim Group, a major player in Indonesia’s industry, to begin bringing their National Championship series to the country.
With an online group stage, the tournament will culminate in an offline event later in 2019. ESL have previously used National Championships as a stepping stone towards hosting events in the country and to foster local talent, with ESL Meisterschaft and ANZ Championships showcasing teams that would end up participating in events like ESL One Cologne or IEM Sydney.
It is unclear what Salim Group’s involvement will be, whether it is purely a financial investment or if they will help with events management as well, but securing one of Indonesia’s biggest corporations is a definite sign that ESL is making strides within the South East Asia region.
Nick Vanzetti, ESL Asia Pacific and Japan Senior VP said: “We are very happy to have found a strategic partner interested in the growth of esports in Indonesia. Salim Group, with its strong worldwide reputation and history in Indonesia, is a perfect fit for what we are aiming to build in the market for the years to come.”
ESL had restructured their leadership in the region last month, with Vanzetti overseeing operations in the area. While their headquarters will be in Singapore, it seems they are attempting to make headway in multiple countries as a starting initiative to see where their biggest market lies.
Esports Insider says: The partnership bodes well for the SEA region, however, it is unclear if the tournament series will be restricted to Indonesian nationals or be extended to the general region, so long as there are Indonesians within the team. Similar tournaments like the UK & Republic of Ireland region include teams with players of Danish, Polish and Swedish descent, so it would be a surprise if the tournament restricts players from neighbouring countries from participating.