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Saudi is set to host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025 under a fresh partnership between the National Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the IOC said in a statement. The 12-year partnership will see the Olympic Esports Games to be held “regularly” during the duration of the partnership.
Pending formalities: The proposal will be on the table at the upcoming IOC session which will be held on the eve of the Olympic Games in Paris; the Associated Press says the meeting will take place 23-24 July. This approval is typically a formality for projects proposed by the Olympic body’s leadership, according to The Guardian. The IOC will also create a new structure separate from the traditional Olympic Games’ organizational and financial models, the statement said.
Where will the Esports Olympics be held? Neither the IOC nor the Saudi Olympic committee have said. In the medium term, we’d expect the games to be relocated to Qiddiya, the multi-bn USD district that is set to be home to the world’s first gaming and esports community.
IN CONTEXT- The IOC has been exploring esports for several years in an effort to engage younger audiences as traditional Olympics fan bases age. It launched the Olympic Virtual Series in 2021 but faced criticism for including lesser-known games such as Tic Tac Bow and WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros, which were intended to mimic physical sports, according to Bloomberg.
Saudi is intent on becoming an esports powerhouse, seeing the sector contributing as much as SAR 50 bn to the economy by 2030. Riyadh is already hosting the first Esports World Cup, which runs through runs until Sunday, 25 August, and Saudi institutions including PIF have sunk big money into gaming investments.
By the numbers: About 67% of the local population (or about 23 mn people) consider themselves gamers, with 100 professional esports players pursuing full-time careers, according to the statement.
The story got ink everywhere: Bloomberg | Reuters | The Guardian | Associated Press.
IN OTHER SPORTS NEWS-
#1- PIF, Reuben brothers to consolidate control of Newcastle United: The Public Investment Fund and RB Sports and Media will raise their ownership of Newcastle United after the exit of Amanda Staveley and her firm, PCP Capital Partners, according to a statement by the club. The new ownership structure will see the sovereign wealth fund hold an 85% stake, with RB Sports and Media holding the remaining 15%. The transfer of ownership will be completed this month.
The transaction is “part of the long-term plan to make the club a consistently, credible competitor in domestic and European competitions,” according to the statement.
#2- A change of tactics at the Saudi Pro League (SPL)? League officials have reportedly asked clubs to focus on homegrown talent and luring promising young international players, Reuters reported, citing a document it says it has seen. “By focusing on attracting younger international talent, we aim to provide our youth with the opportunity to learn from the best globally,” an SPL spokesperson told Reuters when asked about the document. “This strategic focus on youth players allows us to build long-term success, competitiveness, and sustainability for both the league and the clubs.”
IN CONTEXT- The league made headlines after signing some of the world’s top football stars (think Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and others), with the league’s clubs collectively spending almost USD 1 trn in last year’s summer transfer window.
