Gfinity, an eSports event platform, is entering the second phase of its eSports initiative. The UK-based company launches the inaugural Gfinity Elite Series this June, and it attracted a big sponsor in Omen by HP, which will serve as the official hardware partner of the Gfinity Challenger Series and Gfinity Elite Series.
The tournament will focus on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Rocket League and Street Fighter V. The first eSports teams to commit to the tournament are Excel ESports, Infused, Reason Gaming and Prophecy. Martin Wyatt, head of partner relationships at Gfinity, talks to [a]listdaily about the company’s expanded push into global eSports in this exclusive interview.
How has Gfinity grown as an eSports event company since launching?
Since launch, we have grown soundly into one of the world’s leading eSports promotion and content companies. We have spent a great deal of that time investing heavily in building our brand, our operational and technological expertise, and solidifying our position as a dynamic and trusted partner for publishers, top outlet for players, and broadcaster for fans. We’re now in a prime position to move forward with the next phase of the business.
How have you seen the European eSports ecosystem evolve in that time?
The landscape shifts, changes and develops every week, which can be tough but it’s largely for the better. Most of the change for me has been the increase in the professionalization of the space, the fact that the barriers to more valuable commercial partnerships have lowered (as non-endemic brands become more educated) and that in an overall sense the standards of tournaments, broadcasts and experiences have improved dramatically—an area in which largely we have led the way.
Since the acquisition of MLG by Activision, does Gfnity still work with MLG?
Absolutely. We have always had and continue to have a strong and very open relationship with the guys at MLG. The acquisition of MLG by Activision made total sense and I’m sure that we were among the first to congratulate them.
What’s the audience capacity of your eSports arena and how has that been designed to host these new leagues?
We are moving into the Arena’s third year now, and the space has changed shape around four times since we opened the doors. We have condensed the audience area in the main arena and studio space to approximately 150, which still gives us the opportunity to generate a great atmosphere from a live crowd. The changes being made are to help us lift production values once again. The Elite Series is content rich and features three amazing games, all with their own identity, and the venue will be improved to ensure we can showcase each of them incredibly.
How will you be livestreaming the Gfinity Elite Series to the world?
The content plan for the Elite Series is wonderfully diverse and there is a distribution strategy to match—all to be revealed soon.
What separates this new league of ESL, MLG, FaceIt, ELeague and others out there?
What sets the Elite Series apart from any of the others is that it truly, for the first time, creates a clear progression path for players to move up and through the ecosystem as their talent and their desire so dictate. The Challenger Series is the best possible platform, open to players from all over the world, to showcase their talent, climb the rankings and potentially get drafted into a pro team.
The use of the games in the league are fully sanctioned by the publishers, who will assist with the promotion, and are keen to help us discover the next best players in the world for their titles. Personally, what excites me the most are the stories that we will discover throughout this journey. We will be shining a light on and bringing to the forefront some of the undiscovered faces of the eSports world, some of which will go on to be superstars.
Aside from the UK, what other countries are invited to compete in this Gfinity Challenger Series and will it take place in London?
Even though the initial seasons are focused on and are taking place in the UK, the players can be from anywhere in the world. Who the teams decide to select into their rosters are completely up to them and they can be from anywhere. The Gfinity Elite series is truly global.
What’s the rollout plan for the US to become involved in Gfinity eSports World Series?
We have made no secret about a desire to roll out internationally, and the details of that plan will be released very soon—watch this space!
What role do you see Asia playing in the World Series?
A very active one. If the model is right for a particular country, and the timing plus the commercials work out, the Gfinity Elite series could call any country in the world home.
Will there be additional arenas for events or will everyone fly to the UK for competition?
For the initial seasons, all the live-action will take place at the Gfinity Arena in London. We have an uncompromising approach, and we are very demanding when it comes to the quality of our output. So, being fixed in one place for the meantime allows us to control that.
How are you working with big brands such as HP?
Omen by HP as a brand has been a fantastic partner for us. We began working with them in September last year and they agreed to come on as the Elite Series’ official hardware partner.
How receptive has HP been in finding new ways to connect their brand with your eSports audience?
Very. They are superb listeners and take a huge amount of feedback from the community and the industry when building campaigns and activations. They are incredibly creative, unwavering in their support of the Elite Series, and genuinely want to play their part in growing the eSports industry.
What does the MediaCom deal open up for Gfinity?
The Mediacom partnership is important for us as it helps us to identify and develop innovative partnership opportunities for potential sponsors with the industry. They will also assist us in creating real high-value propositions for potential partners that will start to show significant return on investment that go a million miles past slapping a logo on a stream or two.
What do you feel the Gfinity brand means to gamers and how does it differentiate itself from the competition?
In everything we do, the most important things to us are the games and the players. We work incredibly hard to ensure that both of these areas are protected and treated with the maximum respect. The fact that we have that approach has driven a track record for creative, high-quality work. This commitment, I like to think, garners us a lot of good grace inside the publisher, player and audience communities. That, plus we are transparent and a lot of fun to work with. I’m not sure that all of our competitors can say the same.
