Media and software business Esports Mogul has entered a partnership with Saudi esports organisation SARENA.
The agreement will include launch of a Mogul Organiser Hub for SARENA, as well as use of the Mogul platform across SARENA’s Middle Eastern internet cafes and SARENA SAFEIS, an eSports arena, academy and professional studio.
SARENA is owned by the Saudi Arabian Castle Sports Competition Company (CSCC). SARENA has exclusive rights from the Saudi Arabia Federation for Electronic & Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS) to run to run tournaments and leagues such as the ESaudi Professional League (eSPL) and the Electronic Prince Mohamed Bin Salman Cup (the eMBS Cup), both of which are competitions on Xbox and PS4 which form part of the FIFA Global Series.
SAFEIS is led by Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud, who has been a strong advocate for the establishment of an eSports industry in the Middle East, including promoting the development of key infrastructure.
In partnership with SARENA, Mogul’s technology and platform will be used for the eSPL and eMBS Cup as well as through a wider range of community and large scale events across Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East, which includes university leagues and tournaments. SARENA and CSCC also intend to roll out the Mogul platform across their network of public internet gaming cafes in Saudi Arabia, as well as at the SARENA SAFEIS esports arena.
SARENA’s Organiser Hub is expected to be launched in Q4 2019, creating additional revenue potential for Mogul and SARENA throughout the region, centralising marketing efforts, making hosting tournaments easier, and increasing gamers and fan engagement with star esports athletes as well as within the esports community.
Mogul will also work with SARENA to develop and launch a new major regional tournament.
Meanwhile, Vanguard, a Middle Eastern esports management business, which focuses on scouting, training, venue management, and league management, will also adopt the Mogul technology across its primary operations. Vanguard also runs esports academies, exhibitions, live streaming and live streams, which will soon be supported by the Mogul platform.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Mogul to provide us with access to their industry-leading technology offering including its tournament management platform and the Organiser Hubs,” commented SARENA’s executive manager, Hiba AlMubayedh. “Through this partnership, we will be able to deliver a better and more attractive offering to gamers, fans, and esports brands across the Middle East, as well as develop a new revenue stream for our operation.”
Mogul’s managing director, Gernot Abl, added: “Our partnership with SARENA is significant, representing first-of-kind access to an entirely new market - the Middle East ñ and does so with a highly respected brand. Our ability to not just attract teams such as Alliance, but also venue operators and promoters such as SARENA, as well as esports scouts and talent managers such as Vanguard, demonstrate Mogul’s diverse global revenue opportunities, and significant untapped potential, which we continue to realise.”