As always, we’ve rounded up the biggest and best stories from the past week so you can stay abreast of the industry’s biggest happenings. This week in esports saw Dignitas raise $30M, Evil Geniuses return to LCS, Gen.G esports enter the NBA 2K League, and FaZe Clan partner with Manchester City.
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Louis Vuitton partners with League of Legends World Championship
Louis Vuitton unveiled a collaboration with Riot Games for the upcoming League of Legends World Championship.
The partnership will see Louis Vuitton create a one-of-a-kind trophy travel case to hold the Summoner’s Cup, which will be awarded to the world champions in Paris, France on November 10th.
Read the full article here.
Dignitas announces $30M funding round, forms new parent company
Dignitas announced a $30 million (£24 million) Series A funding round and the finalisation of its merger with LCS side Clutch Gaming.
The investment round was led by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) and Fertitta Entertainment, two of Dignitas’ controlling shareholders. New investors include Susquehanna Private Equity Investments, Delaware North, and Steven Rifkind, Co-founder of Loud Records.
Read the full article here.
Evil Geniuses purchases Echo Fox slot in LCS
North American organisation Evil Geniuses announced its return to League of Legends, after departing in 2014, by purchasing the LCS slot previously owned by Echo Fox.
Evil Geniuses were reportedly chosen over Allen Shapiro, Executive Chairman of Dick Clark Productions and Washington Esports Ventures, the owner of Overwatch League franchise Washington Justice.
Read the full article here.
NBA 2K League goes international with Gen.G Shanghai franchise
The NBA 2K League will go international in 2020 with a Shanghai franchise launched by Gen.G esports.
The Shanghai franchise will join the other 22 NBA 2K League teams at the start of the 2020 season and act as the first team outside of North America.
Read the full article here.
FaZe Clan partners with Manchester City
FaZe Clan partnered with Premier League side Manchester City so they can both “create new experiences for their fans and bring them together in unprecedented ways.”
The deal includes a shared training facility created by FaZe Tass and Manchester City FIFA player Shellzz, limited-edition co-branded products, and content featuring competitors from both camps.
Read the full article here.