Esports Insider (ESI) is pleased to announce its plans for 2020 starting with ESI New York (#ESINYC) on 27-28th April, the continued publication of its premier print magazine, The Esports Journal, and the full launch of esports business matchmaking service, ESI Connect.
After a momentous year, Esports Insider heads into 2020 cementing itself as a leading authority in the esports industry by once again bridging the gap between esports and new industries with events in New York City, London, and Stockholm. Each event will provide unique opportunities for brands, businesses and industry leaders to converge.
After hosting eight events across the globe last year, ESI maintains its position as the leader of the biggest esports b2b events. For 2020, ESI has recognised the need for an evolving events ecosystem with the introduction of two new events, ESI Week Stockholm in August, taking place during the biggest esports event in the world, The Dota 2 International, and the ESI Breakfast Clubs. ESI Week Stockholm will provide attendees with the opportunity to experience a multitude of events highlighting different areas of the industry. ESI Breakfast Clubs will take the form of invite-only senior-level networking events held under the Chatham House Rule as platforms for frank and honest discussion, where esports will align with other industries including betting, investment, merchandising and retail. The first ESI Breakfast Club will take place on 5th February in London (Interested parties can contact info@esportsinsider.com).
Kicking off the major events calendar, ESI New York makes its highly-anticipated return on the 27-28th April at the etc.venues 360 Madison in the heart of midtown. The biggest and most influential leaders in the industry will congregate to discuss and debate the most important topics facing the industry. Last year’s event saw over 270 attendees descend upon the Big Apple for a day packed full of panel discussions, round-tables and networking. This year, ESI New York is going to the next level with two days full of content, over 350 attendees, and the inclusion of two well-known ESI features, The Clutch USA and the ESI Hall of Fame.
The Clutch, which heads stateside for the first time after its inaugural appearance at ESI London, will provide start-ups with an opportunity to pitch to an esteemed panel of investors with a wealth of knowledge in investment and esports.
Now in its third year, the ESI Hall of Fame will once again see three industry greats inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame, where they will join previous honorees Hector ‘H3CZ’ Rodriguez, Owner/Co-CEO, NRG, Heather ‘SapphiRe’ Garrozo, VP of Marketing, Dignitas, Marcus ‘djWHEAT’ Graham, Director of Creative Development, Twitch, Michal ‘CARMAC’ Blicharz, VP Pro Gaming, ESL, Jason Lake, Founder & CEO, Complexity Gaming, and legendary caster Chris Puckett.
Hector ‘H3CZ’ Rodriguez was amongst the inductee class of 2019 for the #ESIHOF
ESI London will also be making its triumphant return in September. A staple for the industry calendar, ESI London is set across two days with extensive networking and content opportunities, 700 plus attendees and three evening events. Last year’s event saw attendance and panels from the industry’s elite including the likes of FACEIT, Twitch, Riot Games, Team Vitality, and DreamHack.
After a successful 2019 with three editions, The Esports Journal is officially becoming quarterly for 2020. With features, opinion pieces, and interviews, The Esports Journal is one of the only print publications that provides an in-depth look into the esports space. The industry-focused magazine is available in digital format and print at all ESI events, Esports Bar, as well as V.Hive, Team Vitality’s HQ in Paris, and esports and gaming bar and cafe Platform, in central London.
Sam Cooke, Managing Director & Co-founder of ESI noted: “It’s too often that you hear stories about conferences that promise you unlimited networking with the esports industry’s best, however, people end up hearing from the same people with the same stories. Here at ESI, we created the ESI event series and ESI Connect to help companies understand who is in the market that can help, who will be the right fit and to broaden their scope to make an informed decision. It’s a very crowded noisy industry and we can help cut through a lot of that noise while also saving companies time and money.”
ESI continues to make navigating the esports landscape easier with ESI Connect, the leading esports business matchmaking service. With a team that is experienced, unbiased and knowledgeable, ESI has helped a multitude of non-endemic brands voyage into the esports space. Successes for 2019 include the partnership between esports organisation Team Vitality and international design firm HKS. With ESI’s facilitation, Team Vitality and HKS collaborated on V.Hive, a 10,700 sq ft public esports complex and HQ in the heart of Paris.
Nicolas Maurer, CEO & Co-founder, Team Vitality stated: “Team Vitality has been working with Esports Insider and attending their events for several years now and I continue to be extremely impressed with the service they provide and their events around the world. ESI was pivotal in brokering our partnership with HKS Architects, who helped create our new HQ in Paris, V.Hive.
“Their esports knowledge and connections are second to none, and they have an amazing sense for partnerships of real value making them an essential tool for brands looking to enter the space in a meaningful way, and esports organisations who want to expand into new industries.”