The 1st ever Fornite World Cup Final was won this past Sunday by Kyle Giersdorf, a 16-year-old teenager from Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania. The 1st prize was 3 million dollars. The competition was held in New York City at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. More than 40 million people entered the contest that started in April. His win led to appearances on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
This win is another indication of the power of Esports. The sport has universal appeal and millions of players. The Fortnite World Cup Final offered a total of 3 million in prize money. Epic games started Fortnite in 2017. Epic Games is now valued at 15 billion dollars according to Forbes. The game resonates with millennials.
I see the global reach that the sport has and imagine the opportunities that are associated with it. Sponsorships and Partnerships are at the top of my list. Vendor, Apparel and Game developers are part of this phenomenon. Once the Esports Arena being built by Comcast in Philadelphia is complete, many of those opportunities will be available here. The Arena will be the home of the Philadelphia Fusion.
There are some areas that the operators and owners of Esports professional teams must address to make the game totally inclusive. There are not enough female players. Women feel marginalized and are subjected to nasty comments about their play and appearance online. This toxicity has no place in the game.
There are organizations that are actively engaged in correcting the negativity of bullying and inhibiting that is prevalent in some of the esports games. I have attended events sponsored by N3rd Street Gamers. They cite their skills in developing competitive gamers and showing how to enjoy the game the right way. They are located here in Philadelphia and have outstanding leadership that includes Wayne Kimmel and John Fazio.
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WANNA BET?
In New Jersey: PointsBet.com, Promo code: BETTORS (You can get two risk-free bets up to $1,000 if you qualify.) William Hill NJ (Deposit $50, get $50 cash) SugarHouse NJ (First deposit match up to $250)
In Pennsylvania: SugarHouse PA (First deposit match up to $250)
In most of Europe: William Hill UK; Pinnacle (No UK or Portugal); Asian Odds (No UK or Portugal)
In Asia: Pinnacle/Asian Odds
In parts of South America: Pinnacle/Asian Odds
In parts of Africa: Pinnacle/Asian Odds
More options coming soon. Thanks.