Esports Competition Operator & Broadcast Producer Gamers First will move into the Rabo Esports Stadium Amsterdam before the end of 2019. H20 esports and Gamers First will enter into a strategic partnership. The productions Dutch College League, Benelux Premier League and the Mijndomein Masters will in any case have a fantastic new location. Gamers will be able to get used to playing in a professional stadium.
H20 looking for esports knowledge
Dirk Tuip of H20: "In recent months we have spoken to many parties in the Netherlands that have been active in the world of esports for some time. Especially because we don't have the specific knowledge of this world ourselves. We are therefore looking for parties that can bring in this knowledge in different areas. We have also noticed that the Dutch esports and gaming world has good initiatives, but that it is difficult to bring this to a higher level and ensure continuity at the same time."
Experience in esports productions
Joost has experienced this with Gamers First. Matthijs Vink (H20): "In recent years, Gamers First has had several locations that had potential but were not designed for esports, or where esports and gaming were central. This has put a brake on growth, although the potential is definitely there. With this partnership we hope to offer (semi-) professional esports competitions a location they deserve, and expect to be able to make a big leap forward due to the production value of the broadcasts.
The joint (media-) exploitation brings the unique esports event location of H20 together with the highest echelon in the field of esports competitions and TV- and broadcast productions of Gamers First. Hopefully this will benefit the entire industry. It will also allow Gamers First to focus on what they do best. H20 will add to this its long experience in top sports, marketing and commerce." Gamers First and H20 look forward to the first joint productions."
Working with everyone
The cooperation with Gamers First brings together two unique strengths. Tuip: "We don't believe in a closed system, and we are happy to have a partner on board who believes in it. Rabo Esports Stadium Amsterdam wants to facilitate and become an ecosystem for everyone with an interest in esports, gaming and creative tech. We hope other parties will follow. This way we can get a real training institute and permanent stadium in The Netherlands that is suitable for national and international tournaments. This is only possible by working together. Joost has already helped us enormously in recent months with his knowledge of broadcasting and productions."
Dutch College League and Benelux Premier League
The move to Purmerend means in any case that the Mijndomein Masters (Counterstrike: Global Offensive), the Dutch College League and the Benelux Premier League (both League of Legends, the latter in a partnership with the game developer Riot Games) will be organised and broadcasted from the Rabo Esports Stadium from 2020. Joost Roset: "We have been looking for professionalisation for a long time, especially in the field of location, marketing and commerce. With Matthijs and Dirk, and with this step, we expect to bring our complete organisation and the productions we organise in all facets to a more professional level."
Roset continues: "This is a new development that also takes time. The market in the Netherlands is of course smaller than in America or Asia. We have had quite a few discussions recently, but I am very happy with this cooperation and hope that we can now continue to grow."