eSports
Inaugural Seven-Member USA Basketball E-National Team Unveiled
Following two days of trials featuring some of the top 2K gamers in the nation, USA Basketball has officially named the 2020 USA E-National Team, which will compete in the North and Central America Conference in the 2020 FIBA Esports Open II from Dec. 19-20.
The seven-member USA E-National Team includes: ALittleLady87 (Wendi Fleming/BallHerAlert); Crush (Rafel Davis/Kings Guard Gaming); JBM (John Mascone/Wizards District Gaming); Kenny Got Work (Kenneth Hailey/Raptors Uprising GC); OriginalMalik (Malik Hobson/Knicks Gaming); Ramo (Ramo Radoncic/Pistons GT); and Ria (Spencer Wyman/Jazz Gaming).
Additionally, Arooks (Aaron Rookwood/Bucks Gaming); FEAST (Mihad Feratovic/T-Wolves Gaming); and icygrl (Brianna Novin/BallHerAlert) were named as USA E-National Team alternates.
“It was actually extremely hard to pick this team,” said avid gamer Aerial Powers, a 2015 World University Games gold medalist and a forward with the WNBA Washington Mystics, who is a member of the USA Basketball E-National Team Selection Panel. “ A lot of people played well, and the battles, some of the games came down to the end. You’ve got to think, in the USA Basketball trials, you have to perform in these few days, right? Because, we’ve seen them play in the 2K League, we’ve seen them ball out, but it’s over a whole season. But now, it’s subjected to this time, on this day. So, your performance has to be at its peak. Some games we saw players do well, some games players weren’t doing well, but some were really consistent.
“All-in-all, all 30 players are just so great that during the panel discussions we started arguing about who we wanted to be on the team,” continued Powers. “The competition was so great that it was extremely hard to pick the seven. It wasn’t that the other players weren’t good, it was just that we had so much great competition.”
Team selections were made by the USA Basketball E-National Team Selection Panel, which is comprised of NBA 2K League community ambassador Graham Borden; Wizards District Gaming team manager Patrick Crossan; Jazz Gaming coach Jelani Mitchell; Powers; and USA Basketball Youth & Sport Development assistant director Andrea Travelstead.
“I’ve been into esports my whole life,” Powers added. “So, just to be on the USA Basketball panel and actually not be playing traditional sports is a great accomplishment. Because I’m trying to pivot, I know what I want to do after the WNBA. This is something I want to do; I want to be in esports. And I’m on the Global Esports Federation, we’re working to get esports into the Olympics. So, this is a push in the right direction.”
The USA will tip-off virtually in the FIBA Esports Open II against gaming teams from Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras and Puerto Rico for the right to be crowned North and Central America Conference champions.
While this will be USA Basketball’s first foray into esports, the tournament will mark the second edition of the FIBA Esports Open, the first of which took place in June and included five conferences featuring 114 gamers from 17 national federations. The FIBA Esports Open II field has been expanded to 38 national teams in seven regional conferences.
Each national team will consist of up to seven players, five on the court and two reserves. Games will be played remotely on NBA 2K21 using the Pro-AM mode and allowing for customization of gamer avatars and uniforms.
The North & Central Americas Conference games will stream live on FIBA’s YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels.
Africa, Middle East and Southeast Asia conferences will be played Nov. 14-15, the Europe Conference is scheduled for Dec. 12-13 and the South America Conference will be held Dec. 19-20.
As was the case for the inaugural FIBA Esports Open, this entire series will be produced from the FIBA Esports Studio in Riga, Latvia, with 54 hours of live content being streamed on FIBA’s Facebook, Twitch and YouTube channels. Each game will be available online with live commentary in English, as well as a daily show featuring up to 12 games.
eSports
EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship Winner Announced
A new champion was crowned yesterday in New York during the EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship, the National Hockey League announced. Ethan ‘Polgz’ Kerr-Polgar, who represented the Toronto Maple Leafs, earned his first EA SPORTS NHL 24 title, the $30,000 USD grand prize and a custom hockey stick trophy. The 21-year-old, Newmarket, Ont., resident won the back-and-forth, best-of-three series, including winning Game 1 in overtime against fellow Canadian Justin ‘Regs’ Reguly. With the win, Polgz cements his status as the top NHL 24 player in the World.
Polgz (@PolgzNHLon X) is an avid hockey fan and gamer who chose to represent his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in the EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship. His superior offensive skills allowed him to score eight goals in the Final series to earn the World title. Polgz dedicated the win to his mother, who is his biggest supporter and has beat cancer three times.
Fellow Maple Leafs representative Regs finished the day as runner-up. Regs was previously the North American Champion of EA SPORTS NHL 22.
The virtual qualifying events for the live competition were hosted in partnership with Rival on its fan engagement platform that connects gamers from all over the world. The NHL 24 World Championship qualifying spanned two continents and showcased the global reach of virtual hockey.
EA SPORTS NHL 24 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Round Robin
Polgz (Toronto Maple Leafs) 3 vs. Regs (Toronto Maple Leafs) 2 (OT)
Deeks (Montreal Canadiens) 7 vs Tempannen (Anaheim Ducks) 3
Regs (Toronto Maple Leafs) 2 vs. Tempannen (Anaheim Ducks) 1 (OT)
Polgz (Toronto Maple Leafs) 4 vs. Deeks (Montreal Canadiens) 3
Regs (Toronto Maple Leafs) 5 vs. Deeks (Montreal Canadiens) 1
Polgz (Toronto Maple Leafs) 4 vs. Temppanen (Anaheim Ducks) 1
Standings after Round Robin
1. Eki (*automatically advanced to Semifinal) *defeated Gren for 1st seed
2. Gren (*automatically advanced to Semifinal)
3. Polgz, TOR (3-0-0), 6 pts
4. Regs, TOR (2-0-1), 5 pts
5. Deeks, MTL (1-2-0), 2 pts
6. Temppanen, ANA (0-2-1), 1 pts
Semifinal (best-of-three)
EKI (NYI) vs. Regs (TOR)
Regs wins series 2-0
Gren (BUF) vs. Polgz (TOR)
Polgz wins series 2-0
Final (best-of-three)
Game 1: Polgz, 3 vs. Regs, 2 (OT)
*Polgz took an early lead over Regs by scoring the first goal of the series. Polgz secured a two-goal lead in the second period, which was quickly answered by Regs bringing the score to 2-1. Regs made an epic comeback in the third period, tying up the game with 17 seconds left and forcing the first game into overtime. Despite strong gameplay from both sides, Polgz pulled through to earn the overtime win.
Game 2: Polgz, 0 vs. Regs, 5
*Regs dominated in Game 2 of the Final. He scored two goals in quick succession in the first period, then took a three-goal lead in the second period. Polgz had some good chances in the second period, but ultimately was unable to overcome Regs. Regs sealed the deal with another two goals towards the end of the third period, securing a 5-0 win over Polgz and tying the series at 2-2.
Game 3: Polgz, 5 vs. Regs, 3
*An unstoppable Polgz took the early lead, scoring four unanswered goals in the first period. After a mostly quiet second period, Regs got on the board with two unanswered goals of his own, suddenly cutting Polgz’s lead in half. Entering the third period at 4-2 with Polgz in the lead, Regs made up ground with another goal early in the third period, making for an exciting battle for the win. In the end, Polgz locked in the win with a fifth goal in the third period, winning Game 3 with a final score of 5-3 and ending the series 2-1.
World Championship History
YEAR | WINNER | RUNNER UP |
2024 | Polgz (Ethan Kerr-Polgar) | Regs (Justin Reguly) |
2023 | Jos x 10 (Joseph Olmstead) | EKI (Erik Tammenpää) |
2022* | NA: Regs (Justin Reguly)
EUR: EKI (Erik Tammenpää) |
NA: Gren-35- (Matthew Grenier)
EUR: J-_-JamalTheMan (Jimi Rönkkönen) |
2021* | NA: Gren-35- (Matthew Grenier)
EUR: EKI (Erik Tammenpää) |
NA: Regs (Justin Reguly)
EUR: NikkeDangles (Niklas Tukiainen) |
2020* | CAN: Regs (Justin Reguly)
USA: OF’s HF (Josh Fuss) EUR: Artuzio (Arttu Mustila) |
CAN: YungGren (Matthew Grenier)
USA: Top Shelf Cookie (Matthew Gutkoski) EUR: MrNipsuli (Roni Kajan) |
2019 | Top Shelf Cookie (Matthew Gutkoski) | JohnWayne90 (John Casagranda) |
2018 | EKI (Erik Tammenpää) | Jr Pens (David Roebuck) |
*World Championship canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions NA = North America / EUR = Europe
EA SPORTS NHL 23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS
1. Polgz, Toronto Maple Leafs ($30,000 USD)
2. Regs, Toronto Maple Leafs ($10,000 USD)
3. Gren, Buffalo Sabres ($5,000 USD)
4. Eki, New York Islanders ($5,000 USD)
5. Deeks, Montreal Canadiens ($1,000 USD)
6. Temppanen, Anaheim Ducks ($1,000 USD)
eSports
BITKRAFT Ventures Launches New $275M Venture Fund, Continues to Invest in Early-Stage Gaming and Interactive Media Startups Globally
Once closed, this fund will bring BITKRAFT Ventures’ total assets under management to over $1 billion
BITKRAFT Ventures, one of the leading global games investment platforms, has announced the filing of BITKRAFT Venture Fund 3, a $275 million fund dedicated to driving early-stage investments in gaming and interactive media companies. Serving as the successor to their two Early Stage Equity Venture Funds, BITKRAFT Venture Fund 3 will continue to invest in studios, platforms, and technology globally within the gaming and interactive media space at the Seed and Series A stages. Once closed, this milestone launch will bring BITKRAFT Ventures’ total assets under management to over $1 billion.
Grounded in its vision of synthetic reality, BITKRAFT believes in the transformative power of digital experiences, shaping the future of entertainment. With a core belief that humanity is increasingly immersing itself in digital realms, BITKRAFT recognizes game companies as central to this development, driving the evolution of digital entertainment. Founded by seasoned entrepreneurs and builders in the games ecosystem, BITKRAFT has grown from a small team to over 25 professionals distributed globally, with a presence in key markets in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
“At BITKRAFT Ventures, we are as committed to — and optimistic about — the future of the games industry as we were from the inception of BITKRAFT in 2016. We’ve seen continued growth across all major game platforms, in metrics including user engagement, activity levels, and monetization,” says Jens Hilgers, Founding General Partner at BITKRAFT Ventures. “Newly formed game studios have seen substantial break out successes over the last years, and the advent of AI in game production further benefits new upstarts in the space. Additionally, we have witnessed increased interest in game content beyond incumbents from media and tech giants, as well as private equity firms entering the landscape of potential buyers further expanding the exit landscape.”
BITKRAFT Ventures has strategically invested in various stages in a global roster of well-known companies including Frost Giant, a studio dedicated to bringing back real-time strategy; Anzu, an in-game advertising platform revolutionizing the gaming industry; Carry1st, a mobile gaming platform focused on serving the African market; InWorld, a social platform merging the digital and physical worlds; Voicemod, a voice modulation software empowering content creators; Immutable, the creators of the popular blockchain game Gods Unchained; and Karate Combat, an innovative martial arts league bringing high-octane combat sports to global audiences.
BITKRAFT Ventures’ funds exhibited noteworthy performance, as documented by the Cambridge Associates Benchmarking Data Report 2023. BITKRAFT’s inaugural Web 3 fund achieved a top 5% ranking, while its second Venture Fund secured a position in the top 8% of all funds based on Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
Canada
Canadian Gaming Summit: Providing the Framework for Sports Betting Success
As sports betting professionals seek to strengthen their connection with Canadian bettors, the Canadian Gaming Summit will provide the optimal framework for stakeholders to harness brand loyalty, innovate their offerings and strike lucrative partnerships, all aimed at solidifying their presence in the region.
The Sports Betting track is scheduled to take place on the first core day of the summit, Wednesday, June 19, at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. Catering to 3,000 industry stakeholders, discussions will encompass fostering mutually beneficial relationships with sports leagues, strategies to emulate the success of Canadian lotteries, analyzing the profiles of Canadian sports viewers and exploring the future of eSports and daily fantasy sports (DFS).
Opening the track is the panel entitled The Winning Ticket: How Sports Betting Can Emulate Lottery’s Appeal. It will explore the strategies sports betting operators can adopt to rival the popularity of traditional Canadian lotteries. Industry experts will examine whether sports betting operators are taking the right approach to emulate the success, brand loyalty and integrity of lotteries and whether a rise in the popularity of sports betting will affect provincial lottery models.
The session entitled It’s All In The Game: Innovations In Live Betting will shed light on how live, in-gaming betting is leading the way for innovation within sports betting. Industry luminaries will discuss the importance of crafting real experiences for bettors, analyze the profiles of potential bettors and explore strategies to fully integrate sports streaming content with sportsbooks.
The Game Changers: Collaborative Synergy With Sports Leagues panel will explore the power of sports league partnerships and how they are redefining the Canadian sports betting landscape. Expert panelists will delve into the intricacies of such partnerships and discuss how successful partnerships can be leveraged to enhance brand visibility, fan engagement and market presence. The panel will also examine successful case studies, partnership models and ideal strategies for achieving mutually beneficial partnerships.
Expert speakers set to appear across the track will include Conor Murray (VP Marketing, FanDuel), Nic Sulsky (CCO, Pointsbet), Owen Welsh (VP Gaming, Sports Betting and Innovation, CFL), Martin Lycka (SVP American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling, Entain), Britt Doll (Global Marketing Director, Rivalry), Tomer Imber (Senior Director of Sales, Optimove), Iain Montgomery (founder, Now or Never Ventures), Michael Sandalis (founder, Wait What), Peter Czegledy (Partner, Aird & Bellis), Anthony Gaud (founder, Gaud Hammer Gaming Group), Sean Simpson (Senior VP, IPSOS), Paul Burns (President, CGA), Scott Morasch (Senior VP, IPSOS), Sebastian Jedrzejewski (Director Regulatory Affairs, US Integrity), Greg Bloom (CEO, BYB Extreme), Steve McAllister (VP, Parleh Media), Troy Ross (President, TPM Public Affairs), Witek Wachinski (VP Strategy and Development, BetMGM), Patrick Harris (Managing Partner, Rubicon Strategy) with more to be announced.
Attendees will have the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of the Canadian market through dedicated conference tracks on affiliation, advertising, leadership, land-based operations, payments and compliance. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to attend a pre-day player protection symposium.
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