🎮The Rise of eSports Hotels and Other Sports Business News

—— Feature Story ——

Imagine checking into a hotel where the beds are secondary and the real luxury is a high-performance gaming setup. Welcome to the world of esports hotels, a booming trend redefining travel and gaming culture across Asia.

From China’s 21,000+ gaming hotels to futuristic spaces in Malaysia and Japan, these specialized lodgings cater to die-hard gamers who prefer LAN battles over poolside relaxation. Guests can bunk together for as little as $14 per night per person and enjoy pro-level setups, padded gaming chairs, and even 24-hour tech support.

Why the surge in popularity? Unlike in the West, where gaming is mostly an at-home experience, in Asia, gaming is a social event. Esports hotels offer an affordable, immersive alternative to gaming cafés—so much so that many guests extend their stays from one night to an entire week.

Some hotels, like China’s E-Blue Esports Hotel, take things to the next level with capsule bunks, glowing LED aesthetics, and sci-fi-inspired setups. Others, like Malaysia’s SEM9, have successfully transformed struggling hotels into esports hubs, doubling occupancy rates overnight.

The industry is growing fast:

• China now has 490 million esports gamers, generating over $3.7 billion in revenue.

• The esports hotel market alone was worth $2.7 billion in 2023.

• Cities like Shenzhen boast 350+ esports hotels, with government support fueling growth.

Even big corporations are taking notice. Fosun International, owner of the Wolves Esports Club, is planning its gaming hotel, while countries like Malaysia and Singapore are witnessing rapid expansion.

With esports now a medal event at the Asian Games and new blockbuster titles like Black Myth: Wukong driving demand, esports hotels are more than just a trend—they’re becoming a cultural movement.

—— Sports Business News Round-up ——

♻️ Sports Sustainability

• Formula 1 could bring back its iconic sound with the return of V10 engines, but this time powered by sustainable fuel. The idea is currently under study and could mean a radical shift for the series - Link 

• Formula E partners with Google Cloud to boost performance and lay out various AI-based missions with sustainability at the core - Link 

• Puma’s sustainability efforts for climate, water security, and forests receive ‘Leadership Level’ scores from the global environmental non-profit CDP - Link 

• How Henkel’s innovations are changing the footwear industry by making it more sustainable - Link 

• RecycleBalls has diverted more than 15 million tennis balls from landfills. Here’s how they did it - Link 

🏃‍♀️ Women’s Sports Business

• Little Dot Sport has extended its social media partnership with Women’s Professional Leagues Limited for a further two years - Link 

• Prime Video announced the March 6th premiere date of For The Win, the docuseries covering the 2024 NWSL playoff - Link

• Ariel Investments has announced the launch of ‘Project Level’, a dedicated fund aimed at accelerating financial support for women’s sports leagues, teams, and related businesses - Link 

💼 Sports Startups & Innovations 

• Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced at Web Summit Qatar that the club is taking a bold step into the future of sports innovation with the launch of PSG Labs, a pioneering global initiative designed to accelerate cutting-edge technology in sports, fan experience, and performance. - Link 

• Yashaa Global Capital Secures Financial Services Permission to Establish a Global Sports VC Fund - Link 

• ScorePlay scores big with €12.5 million to transform sports media management - Link

🕺 Fan Engagement & Experiences

• NWSL team up with youth sports media brand Overtime for an expansive content partnership to reach newer generations of soccer fans - Link 

• Chelsea Football Club and Twilio announce a multi-year partnership. Twilio will enhance fans’ interactions and experiences both in the stadium and through digital connections, through the Twilio Segment customer data platform - Link 

🎮️ eSports & Gaming Business

• Kia will sign sponsorship for the title of the Middle East and North Africa league 'Arabian League' of the global e-sports 'LoL' and continue to collaborate with game producer 'Riot Games.' - Link 

• Tencent E-sports kicked off the Empower Esports Worldwide Series - China Stop, the largest multi-party exchange between international sports organizations in recent years, focused on discussing the development trends of international esports and virtual sports, sharing frontier virtual/simulated sports technologies, and forecasting future industry trends and growth. - Link 

📺️ Media, Broadcasting & Digital 

• $1B investment Saudi Arabia’s aggressive push into global sports has taken another leap forward. Surj Sports Investment—an arm of the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF)—is acquiring a minority stake in DAZN. - Link 

• WTA urges social media companies to do more after Raducanu’s Dubai ordeal - Link 

• Indian Premier League  games to go behind paywall after initial free access period on Jio Star - Link 

• MotoGP and FanCode agree to three-year digital streaming rights deal in India - Link 

• One of the longest-running partnerships in sports broadcasting is about to end as ESPN and Major League Baseball plan to end their 35-year-old media rights deal at the end of the current season - Link 

💲 Sports Sponsorships & Investments

• Nexo, the crypto-native company founded by Antoni Trenchev and Kosta Kantchev, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Acapulco Tennis Open (ATP), an annual Mexican tournament. - Link 

• PSV Eindhoven appointed Wasserman to help unlock the full commercial potential of the iconic Dutch football club - Link 

• Atlassian Williams Racing announced a major multi-year partnership with Super Group Limited, the parent company of leading online sports betting and gaming business Betway and casino brand Jackpot City. - Link 

• The auction for The Hundred’s franchises may be over, but private investors who missed out on stakes in the eight teams reportedly offered to buy into other English cricket counties. - Link 

—— Talk of the Town - Buzz-worthy news ——

📰 What to read

India's sports market set to soar: to reach $130 Billion by 2030, Deloitte & Google - A Report

📺️ What to watch

Sports OTT platforms are creating a colossal shift in the sports media landscape and are driving up prices for fans - Video