11/17/22: International Olympic Committee to host the first Olympic Esports Week in Singapore
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| Thursday, November 17, 2022 |
Good morning! It’s Thursday and this is your early morning Esports brief. The International Olympic Committee will host the first Olympic Esports Week in Singapore in June 2023, the IOC announced Wednesday. The event, which will take place from June 22-25, “will showcase the best of virtual sports – hybrid physical and simulated sports,” according to a statement from the IOC. The four-day showcase will also feature the first in-person live final for the Olympic Esports Series, which was presented as the Olympic Virtual Series in 2021. More than 250,000 people tuned in for last year’s edition of the event, the IOC said, with competitors from more than 100 countries taking part in simulated baseball, cycling, motorsports, rowing and sailing competitions. The IOC said it will share details on the competition and participation in the Olympic Esports Series and Olympic Esports Week in early 2023. “The first Olympic Esports Week marks an important milestone in our ambition to support the growth of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement,” IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement. “We believe the exciting new format of our virtual sports competition, with live finals to be staged for the first time, is an opportunity to collaborate further with esports players and to create new opportunities for players and fans alike.” |
 COMPETITIONThe VALORANT Game Changers Championship drew 151,000 peak viewers on Day 1 of competition,according to data from Esports Charts. The all-women’s tournament began its first in-person world championship on Tuesday in Berlin with 10 teams competing for a $500,000 prize pool. The Game Changers initiative by Riot Games expands across VALORANT, League of Legends and Wild Rift and is designed to help bring women into the developer’s esports ecosystems. Competition will continue through Nov. 20 with matches every day. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s Rio Major became the first tournament in the esport where the final was not the most popular match of the tournament. Brazil’s CS:GO audience played a large part in the phenomenon, with viewers tuning in for local org FURIA’s run to the semifinals of the event. FURIA’s win over Natus Vincere in the semis drew nearly 1.43 million peak viewers, according to Esports Charts, while the final between Heroic and Outsiders tallied 1.17 million PV. IEM Rio was the first CS:GO Major in Brazil and on-track to become the most-watched CS:GO event in history – and likely could have gotten there if FURIA’s run continued beyond the marquee matchup with Na’Vi. Outsiders won the 24-team event and the lion’s share of the Major’s $1.25 million prize pool. DreamHack will make its way to San Diego, California, for the first time in April 2023, according to an announcement from the company. The festival and esports tournament event recently announced ongoing programming for DreamHack Valencia, including the first-ever Snapdragon Pro Series multi-event championship in Spain with Wild Rift Game changers and Brawl Stars taking place there. DreamHack has yet to release information about its esports offerings in San Diego. It will also host events in Japan and Australia in 2023. |
STREAMHATCHET |
 SPONSORSHIP & ACTIVATIONCash App is ending its sponsorship deal with 100 Thieves and its compound, according to a report from Business Insider. The initial agreement, launched in 2021, made waves across the esports scene and gave 100 Thieves a marquee sponsor for its on-the-ground operations in competitive gaming as well as content creation and its business dealings. 100 Thieves called the agreement “the most comprehensive sponsorship deal in esports history” at launch. Business Insider reports the end of the partnership was what sparked July layoffs at 100 Thieves. Both organizations have yet to comment publicly on the decision. TSM and FURIA responded this week to the fallout of cryptocurrency exchange FTX’s collapse amid uncertainty about how FTX’s bankruptcy filing would affect the teams’ deals with the former digital giant. TSM, which is formally known as TSM FTX after selling its naming rights 10-year, $210 million deal with FTX in June 2021, said in a statement that it is suspending its partnership with FTX going forward. FURIA, a Brazilian esports organization, announced it decided to cut short a one-year deal with FTX following the bankruptcy filing. That agreement, which was worth $3.2 million, previously made FTX the jersey sponsor for FURIA, which has backers including Satander, Red Bull and HyperX to help buoy the company. It’s still unclear what the League of Legends Championship Series, which had a seven-year sponsorship deal from FTX, plans to do. LCS organizer Riot Games has not commented on the bankruptcy filing or FTX’s remaining financial obligations to the league. Complexity Gaming has re-opened its Frisco, Texas, headquarters at The Star, a Dallas Cowboys facility. The HQ, known as the Lenovo Legion Esports Center, will host community programming for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Complexity announced, including weekly offline esports events, watch parties and more. “The Star is a cornerstone of the Frisco community, and our headquarters have become a local esports and gaming hub for current and future generations of gamers,” Complexity CEO Jason Lake said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to reopening our doors of the Lenovo Legion Esports Center to the community.” EXCEL Esports has acquired Hitcap, a coaching platform for League of Legends, the organizations announced. EXCEL will operate Hitcap’s platform going forward, and the British esports organization will also take over Hitcap’s social media presence and adjust branding to reflect the new ownership. EXCEL said in a statement it hopes to expand Hitcap’s offerings to include pro player perspectives to users leveraged by the organization’s current rosters. Brazilian organizations Vivo Keyd and Stars Horizon will merge and become Vivo Keyd Stars to build on each other’s esports offerings. Stars Horizon, which primarily operates in CS:GO, and Vivo Keyd, known for its VALORANT squad, will bring together their first-person shooter expertise through the deal. Vivo Keyd also recently purchased a League of Legends franchise slot in Brazil. “I and Edu Kim got closer and quickly saw that we had a lot of synergies to work together,” Star Horizon president Pedro Schmidt told Esports Insider. “Since then, we’ve started talking about how to join forces and do even more for esports as a whole.” |
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YOUGOV LIVING DATA INSIGHTS Has the World Cup already kicked off for U.S. gamers?EA Sports’ FIFA franchise witnessed a significant month-over-month increase in Consideration scores, and is the most in-demand sports title among American gamers ahead of the World Cup. |
 TEAMSFormer DWG KIA athletic director Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun has left the team following a quarterfinals exit at the League of Legends World Championship. The veteran coach and manager, who won three world championships as a coach with T1 and helped lead DWG KIA to a runner-up finish at Worlds in 2021, saw his team slump in the knockout rounds this year and fall to South Korean rival Gen.G in the quarterfinals. DWG KIA has made it to Worlds every year since 2019 but has yet to make it over the hump and win a title; kkOma’s arrival in 2020 after a stint with Chinese org Vici Gaming was aimed at changing DWG KIA’s fortunes, but after another knockout stage loss, the team parted with him as well as top laner Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon and its head coach and assistant. Complexity was selected as the 11th Halo Championship Series partner team,with in-game cosmetics on the way and the chance to bring the HCS to Texas in the future, according to an announcement from the organizations. “Halo is a historic franchise with a highly engaged global fanbase that adds to Complexity’s large following, which has grown tenfold in the past 18 months,” GameSquare CEO Justin Kenna said in a statement. “We are proud to have been selected to join HCS and we are excited by the many opportunities that are available to partner teams.” Falcons, a Saudi Arabian esports organization, has signed CS:GO veteran Kenny “kennyS” Schrub following his departure from G2 Esports earlier this week. The French player had up-and-down performances with G2 and has been on the team’s bench since late 2021. Falcons features an all-French roster including other CS:GO luminaries such as Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt and Ali “hAdji” Haïnouss. Longtime North American Dota 2 powerhouse Evil Geniuses released their entire roster Tuesday and confirmed the organization will move its Dota 2 program to South America. EG, which finished at the top of its group at The International 11 but was swept in the upper and lower bracket of the knockout stage, parted with veteran star Artour “Arteezy” Babaev and Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen, who were both with the organization for six years, in the process. |
 INDUSTRYFormer CS:GO pro Emil “HeatoN” Christensen has become a major shareholder and CEO of GODSENT,according to a statement from the company. The Swedish esports standout hopes to help rebuild the team, which cut the majority of its CS:GO roster in mid-2022 and has struggled to build relevance in the higher tiers of the esport. GODSENT also announced a clothing line dedicated to Christensen’s arrival. Netflix president of worldwide advertising Jeremi Gorman has joined GameSquare’s board of directors, GameSquare announced Tuesday. The former Snap and Amazon executive will work with GameSquare and its esports brand, Complexity Gaming, to foster revenue growth and additional marketing opportunities for the parent company and its affiliates. “The company has a unique platform that is resonating with brands, and I look forward to sharing my insights and experience with management and the board,” Gorman said in a statement. “Gaming and esports is an incredibly exciting space that is transforming the way that brands connect with fans.” Indianapolis-based esports organization Beastcoast announced NBA player Gordan Hayward as a senior investor on Wednesday. Hayward, who played collegiately at Butler in Indy and currently plays for the Charlotte Hornets, “will support the esports organization as it further deepens its roots in Hayward’s home state of Indiana,” according to a statement. The move follows Beastcoast’s August announcement that it would occupy space at Butler’s Esports Park, an on-campus facility dedicated to competitive gaming. Major players in Beastcoast’s staff, such as CEO Grant Zinn, have relocated to the city in recent months. ““I’ve always admired how Gordon uses his platform as an NBA player to advocate for the gaming community,” Zinn said in a statement, “so it made complete sense to partner with him as we take the next step as an esports organization.” Organizer Geoff Keighley announced the finalists for The Game Awards on Tuesday, including five esports categories and several competitive gaming titles in overall game categories. The Game Awards will honor the best esports team, game, individual player, coach and event at the Dec. 8 ceremony, and esports titles Apex Legends and Fortnite are up for the Best Ongoing game award. Games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Apex Legends Mobile and several sports and fighting game esports titles are also up for honors. |
READYUP EVENTS OF THE WEEK |
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| TRIVIAThe latest game in the Pokémon franchise releases on Friday; when did the first two titles in the series release in the U.S., and what platform did they release on? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city). Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question What Christmas story adaptation starring Tom Hanks released on this day? Answer: The Polar Express. Kudos: Rob Casalaina-ITN/New York; Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo; David Westberg-SAG•AFTRA Federal Credit Union/Burbank; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/Los Angeles |
| Cynopsis TeamKerry Smith Division President Access Intelligence Robbie Caploe VP/Group Publisher @robertacaploeExecutive Director of Sales Albert Nassour 917-545-3129Cynopsis Job Listings Sales John Cox |
| CYNOPSISJOBS Check out more jobs in Cynopsis Classifieds »JOB OF THE DAYCREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR >> HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC: Lead promotion and brand management for our national marketing and digital content strategies. This role will interface with the management team, show producers, our national network and streaming partners, and program sponsors. Full info HERE (11/30) RESEARCH DIRECTOR >> HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC: Support with audience and consumer information related to our national programming. This role will compile and analyze linear, digital and OTT cross platform viewership for the purposes of strategic planning and to create actionable internal insights and client presentations. Full info HERE(11/30) SR. PRODUCER >> MATTER OF FACT WITH SOLEDAD O’BRIEN/WASHINGTON, DC: Must have highly developed program production skills, a keen eye for visual and graphic show elements, and an editorial commitment to amplifying diverse voices in the conversation about the nation’s future. The Senior Producer will assist with production scheduling and budget. Full info HERE (11/30) ASST. PROF. OF PRACTICE IN EMERGING CREATIVE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES >> TEXAS TECH UNIV./LUBBOCK, TX: Practitioner/teacher with min. 5 yrs. exp. In VR/AR/MR, virtual production, digital world-building, interactive media, human-computer interaction, motion graphics, VFX, etc. Apply by Dec. 1. Full info HERE (11/30) PUBLICIST >> STARZ/SANTA MONICA: Identify and successfully pitch programming to media, including long leads, dailies, weeklies and online publications; as well as secure electronic bookings; respond to media requests timely for information and interviews. Develop and maintain close working relationships with members of the press. 3+ years of entertainment exp. in public relations. Full info HERE (11/28) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITAL >> TMZ/LOS ANGELES: Partner with the Head of Revenue & Strategy to develop new growth opportunities for TMZ’s digital products and execute various revenue initiatives. Optimize current suite of products (web, apps, other) against desired goals. 10+ years of work exp. including experience in programmatic and digital (display and video) advertising and online media. Full info HERE (11/28) DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION STORAGE MANAGEMENT A+E NETWORKS NYC Manage post production storage systems both on premises and in the cloud. Collaborate Production Operations team to ensure that workflows align across the wider A+E enterprise. 5 years experience as a Manager in post production technical support. Comprehensive knowledge of post production workflows and processes. Full info HERE(11/27) MANAGER, DISTRIBUTION MARKETING >> INSP/CHARLOTTE, NC: Develops strategy & annual goals for the Affiliate Monthly Campaign, executes the strategy & oversees the implementation of other assigned campaigns. Provides reporting, analysis & recommendations on assigned campaigns and oversees development of creative & content to support network distribution. 5+ yrs of related exp., 3+ yrs of management exp. Full info HERE (11/27) MANAGER, CROSS PLATFORM AUDIENCE RESEARCH SHOWTIME NY Aggregate & analyze data from various sources to develop audience insights & help drive programming/marketing strategy across traditional and streaming platforms. 3+ years’ experience in media research at a broadcast/cable net, streamer or an agency. Strong Nielsen & data viz tools a must plus MS Office, quant, comm & presentation skills. Full info HERE (11/26) DIRECTOR, CLOUD ARCHIVE STRATEGY & MNGT- MEDIA OPS A+E NETWORKS NYC or Remote Primary point of contact for the development of standards, processes, procedures, metadata retainment & other functions related to “cloud” operations (AWS). Responsible for the operational development, scale & best practices of all on-premises and cloud-based archives. 10+ yrs of exp. in supply chain modernization, on-premises & cloud archives. Full info HERE (11/26) EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, US DISTRIBUTION >> BBC STUDIOS/NY, CHICAGO, LA: Frequently liaise with senior level internal and external contacts, screening and prioritizing all forms of incoming communications, dealing with routine issues and coordinating more complex responses ensuring these are delivered in a timely and effective manner. Manage Executive’s travel logistics and scheduling. 3+ yrs of exp. Full info HERE (11/25) EXECUTIVE PRODUCER >> NEWSMAX/ NYC: Determine best news stories for the program and create daily rundown. Work with show host in program preparation and execution. Identify compelling news stories. Develop story ideas, research and plan segments. Delegate responsibilities as appropriate. Supervise production staff. 3+ years executive producing exp. or overseeing newscast production. Full info HERE (11/25) HEAD of INFLUENCER TALENT >> THE OUTLOUD GROUP/ Remote, DETROIT: Responsible for developing and expanding a roster of content creators and growing Outloud Talent as a business unit. You’ll provide one-on-one support and guidance to your roster of talent. Looking for someone with 3+ years of experience managing content creators and comfortable with building from the ground up. Full info HERE (11/25) SALES SERVICE EXECUTIVE TV ONE NYC Client and agency interface, attending client social events, and supporting the multi-platform sales process. Customize client presentations and provide effective information to drive budgets. Research target accounts and create strategy to break new business and increase share. Min of 3-4 yrs exp. in digital, radio or linear sales. Full info HERE (11/23) DIRECTOR, SCHEDULING & ACQUISITIONS TV ONE SILVER SPRING, Remote Work closely with SVP, Scheduling & Acquisitions and team to develop programming strategies/schedules that achieve or exceed rating & revenue goals. Manage the production of network schedule grids from scheduling database & supervise schedule changes across platforms. Min of 5 yrs exp. scheduling and acquisition w/cable/digital channel or network. Full info HERE (11/23) MEDIA SPECIALIST I, PRODUCTION FACILITY & CONTENT MANAGEMENT TV ONE SILVER SPRING, Remote Serve as the lead in initiating content request fulfillment by tracking and pulling requested media. Review, transfer, and archive all content that arrives on hard drives and DVDs. Upload, catalog, and archive media from photography and field shoots. 5+ years of experience in the field of digital media or cable/broadcast. Full info HERE (11/23) SR. COORDINATOR/ASSOCIATE MANAGER, INTEGRATED MARKETING TV ONE NYC, Remote Respond to RFP, RFI and general Sales Requests: concept and formulate both large- and small-scale ideas into innovative, marketable programs that are custom-made for specific client initiatives and their associated KPIs. Champion the vision and go-to-market strategy and linear sales positioning. Min 2-yrs in media or sales/marketing company. Full info HERE(11/22) MANAGER, MEDIA RESEARCH AND MARKETING ANALYTICS >> NBCUNIVERSAL, LOS ANGELES: Serve as primary contact for NBCU Cable Entertainment Marketing department providing audience insights and collaborating on multi-platform program analysis. Provide analytics for Bravo, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, USA, and Universal Kids. 4+ years of experience in entertainment/tech/marketing with strong NPower and marketing research skills. Full info HERE (11/22) SR. MANAGER, CROSS PLATFORM INSIGHTS & ANALYTICS >> NBCUNIVERSAL/LA or NYC: Leverage various data sources to develop multi-platform analyses, insights, and forecasts for NBCU’s six cable networks (Bravo, E!, Oxygen, USA, SYFY, and Universal Kids). 5+ years of media research experience at a bcast/cable net, agency, vendor, or streamer. Very strong Nielsen NPower skills and passion for TV required. Full info HERE (11/22) |
| OTHER JOBS Work with game designers, gameplay engineers, and artists to implement, tune and balance gameplay systems. Senior Systems Designer Hangar 13 Remote https://boards.greenhouse.io/hangar13 Create documentation to communicate the vision, including but not limited to wireframes and flowcharts. Lead UX Designer Hangar 13 Remote https://boards.greenhouse.io/hangar13 Creating wireframes, mockups, prototypes and animated UI designs; Senior UI/UX Designer Gameloft Remote https://www.gameloft.com/corporate/en/jobs/apply/ Ensure quality meets expectations and direction from the Art Lead and deliver the work in time. Senior 3D Artist Gameloft Remote https://www.gameloft.com/corporate/en/jobs/apply/ Engine side character setup, working with designers, and supporting artists and animators to help shape the stage for characters, features, and systems. Senior Technical Artist Hi-Rez Studios Remote https://www.hirezstudios.com/careers/ Design and deploy functional networks (LAN, WLAN, WAN). Senior Network Engineer Hi-Rez Studios Alpharetta GA https://www.hirezstudios.com/careers/ Collaborate with external art developers abroad, reviewing and integrating their work. Art Director Lionheart Games Atlanta GA https://www.lionheartgames.com/careers/ Develop visual concepts and ideas for new games and features. 2D Artist Lionheart Games Atlanta GA https://www.lionheartgames.com/careers/ Produce high quality animation using animation principles for characters, environments, UI, VFX. Senior Animator Zynga Austin TX https://www.zynga.com/jobs/job-openings/ Enforce optimal performance and efficiency of the game’s final visual assets. Senior Technical Artist Zynga Austin TX https://www.zynga.com/jobs/job-openings/ You’ll be responsible for designing and implementing mechanics in pursuit of intuitiveness, fantasy, and a satisfying feel. Senior Combat Designer Blizzard Entertainment Irvine CA https://careers.blizzard.com/global/en/search-results Analyzing business requirements and implementing well designed solutions. Senior IAM Engineer Blizzard Entertainment Irvine CA https://careers.blizzard.com/global/en/search-results Work with internal teams to build and manage support programs, resources, and initiatives to aid our game creators for MapleStory Worlds. Creator Program Manager Nexon El Segundo CA https://www.nexon.net/corporate/careers?__rlp=1 Design, code, unit test, and maintain scalable server codebases. Senior Server Engineer Nexon El Segundo CA https://www.nexon.net/corporate/careers?__rlp=1 Create recommendation proposals based on target market insights in order to add value to the game product and services. Game Producer netmarble Los Angeles CA https://apply.workable.com/netmarbleus/?lng=en |
