Jul 19, 2019

The next big esports battleground: player contracts

Photo: Press Focus/MB Media via Getty Images

A lawsuit from esports star Turner "Tfue" Tenney against the Faze Clan — alleging the organization takes 80% of his sponsorship revenue — has put a spotlight on how contracts in the industry are structured.

Why it matters: Tenny's situation could become a benchmark for the industry.

How it works: It's common for esports teams to bring in sponsors for individual players, take a percentage and block players from working with other competing sponsors.

  • Imagine LeBron James paying the Lakers a percentage of every Nike check and being blocked from making that money up elsewhere. That's why players are fighting it.

Reality check: The industry is projected to make $460 million in sponsorships and advertising in 2019. Most esports teams make a majority of their money from sponsorships and they're going to fight hard to keep it that way until they find new revenue streams.

What's next: We've already seen some unionization efforts around the industry with CounterStrike and the Overwatch league. Expect to see more as this battle plays out.

Go deeper: Industry veterans fear an esports bubble

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Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler, Rashaan Ayesh
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

George Floyd updates

Protesters gather north of Lafayette Square near the White House during a demonstration against racism and police brutality, in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have been rallying in cities across the U.S. and around the world to protest the killing of George Floyd. Huge crowds assembled in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Chicago for full-day events on Saturday.

Why it matters: Twelve days of nationwide protest in the U.S. has built pressure for states to make changes on what kind of force law enforcement can use on civilians and prompted officials to review police conduct. A memorial service was held for Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina, near where he was born. Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all flags to fly at half-staff to honor him until sunset.

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Axios
Updated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 6,889,889 — Total deaths: 399,642 — Total recoveries — 3,085,326 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 1,920,061 — Total deaths: 109,802 — Total recoveries: 500,849 — Total tested: 19,778,873 — Map.
  3. Public health: Why the pandemic is hitting minorities harder — Coronavirus curve rises in Florida — How racism threatens the response to the pandemic — Some people are drinking and inhaling cleaning products in attempt to fight the virus.
  4. Tech: The pandemic is accelerating next-generation disease diagnostics — Robotics looks to copy software-as-a-service model.
  5. Business: Budgets busted by coronavirus make it harder for cities to address inequality — Sports, film production in California to resume June 12 after 3-month hiatus.
  6. Education: Students and teachers flunked remote learning.
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Rashaan Ayesh, Rebecca Falconer
Updated 7 hours ago - World

In photos: People around the world rally against racism

Despite a ban on large gatherings implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic, protesters rally against racism in front of the American Embassy in Paris on June 6. Photo: Julien Mattia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people have continued to rally in cities across the world against racism and show their support this week for U.S. demonstrators protesting the death in police custody of George Floyd.

Why it matters: The tense situation in the U.S. has brought the discussion of racism and discrimination onto the global stage at a time when most of the world is consumed by the novel coronavirus.

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