Global Game Changer: How Strategic Partnerships at EWC 2024 Are Redefining the Esports Ecosystem

As Niko Partners continues to monitor the latest developments in the 2024 Esports World Cup (EWC), we bring you EWC insights and strategic partnership highlights. EWC has forged a huge partnership, reflecting the growing recognition and support of the festival from global brands. This development underscores EWC’s growing reputation as a leading gaming and esports festival.

From Vision to Reality: How Partnerships Transform EWC 2024

In our previous post about the EWC, we noted that there were promising signs of esports partnerships in KSA, including a strategic partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the first Esports Olympics in 2025, with subsequent events scheduled regularly. intervals for the next 12 years. The formation of the Esports Olympics was confirmed during the ongoing 142nd Session of the IOC on July 23.

Since 2019, KSA has been actively encouraging the growth of esports nationally and regionally. The country hosted its first esports tournament, the ESL Pro League in 2019. Currently, apart from the ongoing EWC and plans to host the Esports Olympics in 2025, KSA is also involved in other mega esports projects. KSA is building its first entertainment city in Qiddiya, while state-owned Savvy Games Group will invest $38 billion in gaming companies to develop the gaming and esports industry. This is a significant reflection of KSA’s commitment to becoming a major player in the esports industry.

EWC represents another monumental esports achievement for KSA. As of this writing, EWC has announced more than 30 partnerships. Here are some of the key partnerships covering Saudi Arabia’s endemic and non-endemic brands as well as government operations so far.

The extensive partnerships built for EWC create a win-win scenario for all stakeholders involved. Several partnerships, such as CCTV+, Dazn, and Warner Bros. Discovery, had a positive impact on the live broadcast and exposure of the event, bringing EWC to new audiences around the world. Additionally, by establishing relationships with popular esports athletes and events, brands increase their visibility, capitalize on the growing esports market, and connect with the active young demographic in KSA and the wider MENA region. Esports is more than just a hobby, it is a lifestyle for Generation Z, Millennials, even Generation Alpha in MENA. This fosters a sense of ownership and support, which is important for the survival and continuation of EWC in the future.

In addition to EWC esports spectators and fans, through this strategic collaboration, esports organizers and teams can gain access to critical resources that offer world-class, state-of-the-art facilities and an unmatched esports experience. Notably, ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) in August announced a multi-year partnership as EWC’s official operating partner and will be responsible for tournament operations, broadcast programming, EWC product propositions and future global marketing strategy support. This collaborative effort resulted in a strong esports ecosystem forming around EWC.

EWC also seeks to open opportunities for future sports, entertainment and business collaborations. Niko Partners is excited to participate in the EWC event as part of the Esports World Cup Foundation’s “New Global Sports Conference” which will take place at the end of the festival, on August 24 and 25. Lisa Hanson, CEO & President of Niko, will join industry leaders from esports, gaming, and entertainment to discuss “The Future of Fandom.” The conference is another feature of the EWC, which seeks to bring together experts and encourage discussion about the business of sports, gaming and marketing.

Historic Moment and Record Number of Viewers at EWC 2024

As the business implications of the EWC continue to grow, the competition and highlights of the cup also continue to make headlines. As more and more esports cup title events are held and concluded, more and more viewership achievements and wider esports records are being set. EWC is on track to generate a new wave of esports excitement. So far, the Esports World Cup has surpassed 100 million hours watched, according to Esports Charts, making it the fourth most popular global esports event to date, with still a few weeks to go.

Falcons Vega MENA makes history by becoming the first Arab women’s team to compete in the EWC Source: Asharq Al-Awsat

The esports landscape in KSA is also becoming more inclusive. Notably, The Falcons Vega MENA made history by becoming the first Arab women’s team to compete in the 2024 MLBB Women’s Invitational as part of the EWC series held on August 25. Meanwhile, the MLBB women’s tournament, which has historically been dominated by Asia, is experiencing significant changes with the entry of top European clubs such as Team Vitality and Gaimin Gladiators for the first time.

Other records set by the women’s MLBB tournament include a new record in the prize pool in the women’s competitive MLBB scene, reaching 2.5 million hours watched on the Esports Charts, the highest total watch time for a women’s tournament in 2024 and the second most watched in the world. 2024. MLBB women’s tournament history.

KPL Dream Team dominates Honor of Kings Grand Final (Source: Level Infinite, TiMi Studio Group)

Another popular mobile MOBA esports title, Honor of Kings is growing globally at a rapid pace. With the end of the HoK EWC cup in Riyadh, HoK Global Esports will continue its momentum into the last quarter of this year. Notably, with HoK’s recent global launch expanding to over 160 countries, the rapidly growing global esports community is turning its attention to Indonesia in October, where the country will host Southeast Asia’s first-ever Honor of Kings International Championship .

One of the most anticipated EWC tournaments, the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2024 grand final, ends on July 21. In addition to Dota 2 featuring the largest prize pool in the series, according to Esports Charts, the event was also the most-watched Dota 2 tournament of 2024 so far, generating over 26.3 million hours watched. The average number of viewers per broadcast is stable at 178,400, another record for Dota 2 esports this year.

Gaimin Gladiators crowned Dota 2 champions at the Esports World Cup (Source: Esports World Cup)

Meanwhile, Counter-Strike 2 EWC 2024 ended on July 21, surpassing last year’s Gamers8 2023 record, with average viewership recorded by Esports Charts increasing by nearly 8%, and peak viewership surging by 76%. We estimate that this number of viewers will increase again as the PUBG event begins. According to Niko Partners MENA Gamers Market Report 2024, PUBG IPs including PUBG Battlegrounds on PC and consoles, as well as PUBG Mobile for smartphones, are the most popular IPs in the region. According to our survey, this game is played by two-thirds of all gamers in Asia and MENA.

Niko CEO and President Lisa Hanson will be in Riyadh to attend the Emerging Global Sports Conference and EWC (Set up a meeting with Lisa here) Stay tuned for further insights and updates in our next blog post as we continue to monitor the event closely. Check out Niko’s esports research products and services. Keep up with the Asian & MENA esports scene via NikoIQ, our intelligent online dashboard. We are ready to discuss your needs for bespoke research through our Custom Research & Consultancy Service.