Telecommunication service Sky Broadband and UK esports organisation Guild Esports have teamed up to launch a series of women’s tournaments.
The initiative is divided into the Racers Eseries and Soccer Eseries, culminating in the Women’s Esports Finals which will be hosted at Sky headquarters in London.
The SIM racing competition will be held from April 26th-19th with ten participants qualifying for the Women’s Esports Finals. Moreover, the top four competitors from the esports football tournament will take part in the final event. The dates for the Soccer Eseries and the finals are yet to be revealed later this year.
A total prize pool of £50,000 will be split between the tournaments, with every Women’s Esports Finals competitor receiving a cash prize. According to a release, the Racers and Soccer Eseries winners will win professional contracts and free Sky Broadband for 18 months.
The esports pro contracts involve bootcamp training and access to Guild’s facilities and experts, such as nutritionists. Tournament registration is open to UK residents at least 18 years old. The games that will be used for both competitions have also not been revealed.
Co-owned by football star David Beckham, UK-based esports organisation Guild Esports competes in Counter-Strike 2, EA FC 24, Fortnite, Street Fighter, and SIM Racing. Its partners include brands such as Subway, Fanatec, and Secretlab.
Guild Esports and telecommunications company Sky announced their three-year partnership year in 2022, which was since expanded in September 2023. Throughout their partnership, Guild and Sky have collaborated on several projects, including a Street Fighter tournament.
Most notably, the upcoming women’s esports initiative is not the first time the two companies have aimed to improve diversity and inclusion within the competitive gaming scene. Last year, Guild and Sky launched the #NoRoomForAbuse campaign to raise awareness for the verbal abuse women gamers face.
CEO of Guild Esports, Jasmine Skee, commented on the women’s esports initiative with Sky: “With women representing 47% of all gamers in the UK, it’s high time we create opportunities for talented women gamers to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level.
“We look forward to witnessing gaming enthusiasts across the country and beyond taking part in this unique opportunity.”
