A Week's Journey Through Bangkok
The Unstoppable Esports Revolution in Asia: ESL and 1xBet's Dynamic Duo
Asia's esports scene is explosive, yet it's far from saturated. While heavyweights like China and South Korea dominate, other Asian countries are starved for major tournaments. This is where powerhouses like ESL and 1xBet step in, spearheading the esports invasion of Asia.
ESL's Roots
ESL's humble beginnings date back to 1997, when it was introduced as the Deutsche Clanliga, hosting its very own esports competition. Fast-forward to 2000, the organization was rebranded as the Electronic Sports League. Since then, it expanded its offerings to include tournaments, technical support, and even a magazine dedicated to the esports world.
Initiating online broadcasts of esports matches long before it was the standard, ESL played a key role in nurturing the esports streaming community, attracting more fans to the industry. Their early emphasis on Counter-Strike soon expanded to encompass Dota 2, Rainbow Six, StarCraft II, Battlefield 4, World of Tanks, and various other esports disciplines.
In 2020, ESL merged with DreamHack, another leading name in esports, and became part of the billion-dollar ESL FACEIT GROUP. Their global reach exploded, boasting a mind-bending 225 million esports fans, conducting 522 million hours of live broadcasts, and racking up over 3.8 billion social media interactions by 2023.
ESL's Counter-Strike Tournaments
ESL's first major tournament was the ESL One Katowice 2015, a collaboration with Valve, marking the start of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive majors. This event broke records as the largest esports event in history, attracting a whopping 100,000 visitors to the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland, and over one million Twitch viewers.
Their next major event, ESL One: Cologne 2016, took place at the iconic Lanxess-Arena in Cologne, signifying a homecoming for the company. But it was their collaboration with 1xBet on the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022 that truly shook things up.
The 1xBet Effect
Founded in 2007, 1xBet initially specialized in sports betting. However, their partnership with ESL in 2021 brought them to the esports scene, and the result was astounding. The 1xBet logo graced the stands of the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro during the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022 for the first time, with 1xBet backing the tournament's prize pool surpassing $1 million for the first time.
1xBet brought more than just financial backing to the table. Their extensive experience in organizing events and expansive media coverage drastically increased viewership, with the Jeunesse Arena being packed to capacity, and online viewers shattering all records.
ESL's Dota 2 Tournaments
While Valve's The International, in Dota 2, is traditionally held with PGL, ESL focuses on majors and regular competitions of the ESL One Dota 2 series. In 2023, 1xBet teamed up with ESL, and the duo delivered two spectacular Dota 2 tournaments—ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 and ESL One Birmingham 2024—with a third in the works, ESL One Bangkok 2024.
ESL One Bangkok 2024—A New Era
In stark contrast to their previous tournaments, which were primarily European and American affairs, ESL and 1xBet have decided to shift focus to Asia. Of the last three ESL One Dota 2 tournaments, only one took place in Europe, while the other two were held in Malaysia and Thailand. Given the surging esports audience in the region, this is a strategic move meant to capitalize on the booming popularity of esports in Asia.
The tournament will feature 12 of the world's top Dota 2 teams, with one representing Asia, taking place from December 9 to 15 at the Royal Paragon Hall in Bangkok, Thailand. In addition to competitive matches, fans can expect exciting events such as the Cosplay Showcase, where attendees can show off their Dota 2 hero transformations on stage.
The Power Couple Strikes Back
The partnership between ESL and 1xBet has proven to be mutually beneficial, bolstering commercial and media indicators for ESL while offering esports enthusiasts unprecedented opportunities to attend major competitions. If you're interested in joining the Esports Revolution, consider partnering with 1xBet through their Affiliate Program. With over 100,000 members worldwide and three million active users visiting their platform every month, this could be your ticket to the exciting world of online earnings.
The unrelenting collaboration between ESL and 1xBet is instrumental in driving the growth and exposure of esports in Asia through various key strategies:
- Extensive Events Coverage: By organizing and popularizing esports events, ESL and 1xBet aim to increase the visibility of esports in Asia, attracting more viewers and fans to the region.
- Increased Financial Support: The financial backing of 1xBet pumps up prize pools for tournaments, making them more appealing to players and teams.
- Infrastructure Development: This partnership works to develop infrastructure for esports events, ensuring that events run smoothly and attract a wider audience.
- Marketing and Outreach: Leveraging 1xBet's global reach helps market esports events to a broader audience, expanding the popularity of esports across Asia.
- Local Partnerships: 1xBet's collaborations with regional esports teams and organizations help boost local engagement and solidify their commitment to grassroots promotion in the region.
By working together to elevate the quality and reach of esports events, ESL and 1xBet are catalyzing a dynamic and competitive esports ecosystem in Asia. However, for a detailed look at their direct impact on the Asian esports scene, further insights may be required from both ESL and 1xBet's promotional efforts in the region.
- ESL's roots trace back to 1997, when it was known as the Deutsche Clanliga, hosting its own esports competition.
- In 2020, ESL merged with DreamHack, becoming part of the billion-dollar ESL FACEIT GROUP, reaching a vast global audience.
- The partnership between ESL and 1xBet has been instrumental in driving the growth and exposure of esports in Asia.
- 1xBet's extensive experience in organizing events and expansive media coverage drastically increased viewership during the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022.
- ESL and 1xBet have decided to shift focus to Asia for their ESL One Dota 2 tournaments, with the ESL One Bangkok 2024 being a prime example.
- The unrelenting collaboration between ESL and 1xBet is a catalyst for a dynamic and competitive esports ecosystem in Asia.
- The partnership between ESL and 1xBet offers esports enthusiasts unprecedented opportunities to attend major competitions.
- The ESL One Bangkok 2024 will feature 12 of the world's top Dota 2 teams, with one representing Asia.
- By capitalizing on the booming popularity of esports in Asia, ESL and 1xBet aim to increase the visibility of esports in the region.
- To join the Esports Revolution and be part of the exciting world of online earnings, consider partnering with 1xBet through their Affiliate Program.
