1000 events over seven days delivering pure energy from creatives! Originating from Austin, Texas in 1987, SXSW has received world accolade as one of the most cutting-edge festivals for any content-maker and consumer of this digital era. So it makes sense that ahead of its March 8-16 SXSW in 2024, and while North America’s creative industry is on standstill from the American actors’ union Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike, the magic fairy dust has picked up and blown over on Gadigal land with the first South by Southwest (SXSW) Sydney.
Here’s a peek at some of what went on. Photos are supplied by the organisers.
Meanwhile, in the next building, the Intel Extreme Masters Sydney 2023 known as IEM Sydney returns this weekend after a four-year hiatus, to a sold-out crowd. Team Australia goes up against Team UK with the most entertaining callers at the ESL Counter Strike (eSports League) match. There was even a ‘snake’ thrown on stage, only to be wrestled away to safety by an Aussie dressed in his smartest ‘budgie smugglers’! Games is one of the major events at SXSW besides the other village zones of Tech and Innovation, Games, Music, Screen and Culture. The festival concludes today.
Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural Olympic Esports Week 2023!
The Olympic Esports Series 2023 is a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the IOC in collaboration with International Federations and game publishers. The finals, held live this year for the first time, is one of the highlights of the OEW at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. There are nine featured sports for the Olympic Esports Series: Archery, baseball, chess, cycling, dance, sailing, tennis, taekwondo, and motorsport.
Ticket holders will be able to experience a wide variety of games with a host of additional titles set to be announced for the line-up of exhibition matches. Visitors who are inspired by the Olympic Esports Finals and exhibition match action can also try their hand at selected games at the free-to-play zone. This will also be an opportunity to explore the latest innovations across virtual sports and gaming such as motorsport, baseball, cycling, cricket and more.
“The Olympic Esports Week Singapore 2023 is a truly unique event, bringing together a wide and diverse variety of elements for a celebration of virtual sports, gaming and esports. From the exciting live finals of the Olympic Esports Series 2023 which will showcase some of the world’s best players, to the free-to-play zone for everyone to get involved – we hope to inspire sports, gaming and esports fans of all levels and backgrounds. We have made a deliberate decision to organise the OEW 2023 so that this Olympic event is accessible to as many people as possible and for everyone to be a part of the first-ever OEW,” said Mr Mark Chay, Co-chair of the Local Organising Committee for OEW 2023.
Singapore’s hosting of the inaugural Olympic Esports Week will also be boosted by the support of organisations known for being among the best in their respective fields. Partners include all Worldwide Olympic Partners (https://olympics.com/ioc/partners) as well as local event partners; global technology leader Alibaba, Singapore Airlines, virtual reality company PICO, network connectivity provider Singtel, one-stop esports solution provider VSPO and real estate group CapitaLand.
Mr Chay also said: “Similar to an athlete’s sporting success on the global stage, staging a global event like the OEW requires the support of a team of committed partners and stakeholders. The local organising committee is grateful to have the backing of partners whose visions and goals align with ours. We are all working hard together to ensure that fans, players and officials get to enjoy some of the best of physical-hybrid and virtual sport in June.”
Those in Singapore will also get a sneak preview of the OEW experience from 5 May 2023 with a roving trailer bringing the world of esports and virtual sports to 13 locations across Singapore for a period of 50 days up until the Olympic Esports Week. This will give visitors the opportunity to try the OEW titles first hand, compete to win attractive prizes and meet with key leaders in the world of esports and virtual sports. Other exciting programmes will also take place in various key locations across Singapore.
Here are some exciting updates from the Olympic Channel:
Esports – DISH: The story of a successful streaming entrepreneur
On 1 March 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced details of the Olympic Esports Series 2023, a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the IOC and in collaboration with International Federations (IFs) and game publishers.
The initially confirmed featured games across nine sports are:
Archery (World Archery Federation, Tic Tac Bow),
Baseball (World Baseball Softball Confederation, WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS),
Chess (International Chess Federation, Chess.com),
Cycling (UCI, Zwift),
Dance (World DanceSport Federation, JustDance)
Motor sport (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, Gran Turismo).
Sailing (World Sailing, Virtual Regatta),
Taekwondo (World Taekwondo, Virtual Taekwondo)
Tennis (International Tennis Federation, Tennis Clash),
The Olympic Esports Series 2023 begins today, when both professional and amateur players from around the world are invited to take part in qualification rounds across a host of the featured games.
The Olympic Esports Series 2023 will culminate in live, in-person finals for the first time, with players having the opportunity to progress to the Olympic Esports Finals 2023. Taking place at Singapore’s Suntec Centre from 22 to 25 June, the finals action will be a highlight of the recently announced Olympic Esports Week 2023.
Coming together in Singapore for this unique competition, the players will compete in front of fans for the prestigious title of Olympic Esports Series winner. The thrilling finals action will be streamed globally across Olympics.com and Olympic social channels.
This evolved format of the IOC’s virtual competition builds on the successes of the Olympic Virtual Series. The 2021 series, which took place ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, attracted over 250,000 participants from across 100 countries to take part in competitions. The Olympic Esports Series 2023 marks another step in supporting the development of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement, as laid out in Olympic Agenda 2020+5, and continues its collaboration with the gaming and esports communities to create new opportunities for players and fans alike.
Speaking at the announcement, David Lappartient, Chair of the IOC Esports Liaison Group, said: “The Olympic Movement brings people together in peaceful competition. The Olympic Esports Series 2023 is a continuation of that, with the ambition of creating more spaces to play for both players and fans of elite competition. We look forward to witnessing some of the world’s best compete on the global stage, as well as exploring together shared opportunities and lessons – across health and wellbeing, training and innovation.”
This follows the recent announcement that Singapore will host the first Olympic Esports Week 2023. Created in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Sport Singapore and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), the four-day festival will showcase the very best of virtual sports – including technology exhibitions, show matches, expert panel discussions, and the first live finals of the Olympic Esports Series. The full programme and ticket details for the Olympic Esports Week 2023 will be revealed in April.
The investment makes Dato’ Ananth puts him in the league of Asians to have ownership of a European football club
Bold plans are in the pipeline to leverage Esports as an innovative strategy to grow beyond the traditional football roots, as well as nurture local and regional talent through a football academy
Dato’ Ananth S. Nathan, President of the Malaysian Esports Federation (MESF) and pioneer of the Esports community in Southeast Asia has undertaken a leading investment in founding English Premier League Club Wimbledon FC, which was resurrected in 2002 as AFC Wimbledon. This investment positions him as the second-largest individual shareholder AFC Wimbledon, and one of a select few Asian owners of a European football club.
A very unique aspect of Dato’ Ananth’s investment is that he has never seen the AFC Wimbledon team play live. In 2002, Wimbledon FC, or affectionately known as the Dons, was controversially severed from its community by the decision of a Football Association commission. The club was relocated 70-miles from its home, and repositioned under a new name and ownership.
A devastating moment for fans, this resulted to a fan-led campaign that relaunched the club as AFC Wimbledon in the same year, maintain the team’s outstanding legacy. That same passion was also shown during a multi-million-pound fundraising campaign to rebuild its beloved Plough Lane home stadium, with the club playing its first match in its new Plough Lane home in November 2020.
Dato’ Ananth shared that he found his own journey echoed the story of struggle and triumph of AFC Wimbledon, forming an instant bond with the passion and perseverance with the football club. He has become a committed supporter of AFC Wimbledon’s journey, one which he hopes to extend through a shared community in Asia and beyond.
“In 2010, I went through a tough stint in my personal and professional life. With the support of family and close friends, I persevered. Like a phoenix, my life rose from the ashes and I embarked on an upwards trajectory,” he said.
Dato’ Ananth said that he believes AFC Wimbledon’s story will resonate in Malaysia and throughout Asia. “The strong community spirit on the revival of the club was an important catalyst of this investment. It never crossed my mind as an investment, I did it because I love football and the romantic history of the club. When I went through the museum here at Plough Lane, I had goosebumps. That’s the effect I want to create in Malaysia. So, when the opportunity came, I had to put my name in,” he continued.
Despite its rocky history, AFC Wimbledon is no stranger to success. The club currently holds the record for the longest unbeaten run of league matches in English senior football, with 78 consecutive undefeated league games, as well as being proud winners of the FA Cup in 1988 having beaten Liverpool 1-0 at Wembley.
Through the investment, Dato’ Ananth also assumes a new role as International President for AFC Wimbledon. His ambition is to combine his unique Asian perspective and connections, and his extensive Esports experience to build on the Dons’ remarkable legacy and passionate fanbase.
Alongside revitalised business foundations in his successful AIRMARINE, an international integrated logistics and supply chain business, Dato’ Ananth believes he is positioned to help inspire an exciting new future for AFC Wimbledon.
In the long-term, there are bold plans to have the Dons play against national teams of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and other nations of the region, as well as develop a Wimbledon Academy in Asia to help build player depth and experience across the club and national team. Dato’ Ananth also plans to build a local clubhouse where people can watch the game live together.
Beyond the traditional roots of a shared gameday experience, Ananth also has a vision to potentially establish the famous Plough Lane stadium as a leading home of Esports, building on the huge growth of this innovative industry.
He said, “I would like to see how we can add value with a Wimbledon Esports Division. According to reports, the global gaming market was valued at USD173 billion in 2021, and is expected to reach USD314 billion by 2027. That is something we should look to capitalise on.”
Dato’ Ananth’s inspired investment also sees him take a significant share in AFCW Plc—the holding company of AFC Wimbledon Ltd, AFCW Stadium Ltd, AFC Wimbledon Women, and The Wider Interests of Football Limited.
Dato’ Ananth S. Nathan, ardent sports fan and International President for AFC Wimbledon
