IeSF and Alisports announce Exclusive Strategic Partnership

International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) has announced a partnership, so called ‘Exclusive Strategic Partnership’, with Alibaba Sports Group (Alisports) in Shanghai, China on July 26, 2016.

Alisports and IeSF have first met in Beijing early this year. Although, it is a quite short period time to make something concrete between two different parties, both parties shared a same vision on future goals which made IeSF and Alisports to reach consensus for such partnership.

There are three specific goals which both shared. First of all, both parties want to have a tournament which all amateur e-Sports players and professional e-Sports players can participate. This means that IeSF will fully endorse WESG Game Series initiatives. Second, both parties will work together to let e-Sports to be recognized as sports. Last but not least, both parties will create the unique intellectual property (IP) of e-Sports.

As IeSF World Championship’s journey has been begun from 2009, IeSF now has know-hows, experience, resources and more in operating tournaments as well as with its global coverage through its 47 member National Federations. These various strengths from IeSF will support the World Electronic Sports Games, WESG, hosted by Alisports to be a tournament which can benefit e-Sports players, fans, and officials.

IeSF has put great efforts to enter International Sports Society. IeSF has been approved as one of the official signatories of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2013. IeSF is currently an international member of The Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA) and IeSF is approved as counterpart for e-Sports discipline by Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). IeSF is preparing documentation to submit to International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Sport Accord at this moment. IeSF will now spread its wings to enter International Sports Society with support from Alisports.

To make sports market-oriented and gaming sports-oriented, Alisports hosts WESG with a total prize more than $5.5 million and total investment more than 100 million yuan, attracting e-Sports players from over 100 countries and regions in this inauguration. Meanwhile, Alisports is also planning to build the e-Sports Stadiums around China, hoping to make e-Sports become a way of life.

Alisports CEO, Mr. Zhang Dazhong addressed: “As the most authoritative international organization in e-sports industry, IeSF has been committed to promoting e-Sports movement into the mainstream, including pushing it into the Olympic Games, which is consistent with our ideal. We are honored to cooperate with IeSF as the exclusive global partners in a long-term. I believe the two sides will jointly promote the development of the global e-Sports industry. “

IeSF President, Mr. Byung Hun Jun said, “This partnership is one big step to IeSF. I believe IeSF and Alisports will maximize each other’s strength by this partnership. I also believe e-Sports Stadium can be transformed to be a fashion place for Youth. IeSF will make our all effort to be with more e-Sports fans in more countries together with Alisports from now on.”

▶ About IeSF

The International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) is an International Union governing e-Sports globally, established in 2008. Currently IeSF retains 47 member National Federations. As e-Sports has been perceived as one of potential Sport disciplines, those National Federations are getting closer to be recognized by National Sport Authorities such as Ministry of Sport and National Olympic Committees.

Since 2009, IeSF has been hosting e-Sports World Championship every year. Also, IeSF cooperates with various International Sport Bodies. IeSF has been approved as one of the official signatories of World Anti-Doping Agency in 2013, and since then, IeSF has been operating doping control for every event. Also, IeSF is official counterpart of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) as well as an International member of TAFISA (The association For International Sport for All).

As taking further step, IeSF is aiming for affiliation to Sport Accord. IeSF is also an officially recognized applicant for the International Olympic Committee. IeSF has received an official letter from the IOC on April 17th. IeSF will be submitting all relavent documents by August 31st 2016 and will receive the results in December.

▶ About Alisports

Alisports, founded in September 2015, is a sports platform established with the aim of placing the entire range of services from ticketing and broadcasting rights to rights management in one hand. It devotes to building the basic sports economy platform with the thinking of Internet and developing sports business both online and offline. Alisports consequently strives to create value and make contributions to the international and domestic sports associations.

Alisports addresses the interests of both spectators and sportspersons. The utilisation of internet-based technologies will play a decisive role in the transformation of the sports industry in China. Alisports is a subsidiary company of the Alibaba Group, the largest online and mobile commerce company in the world in terms of gross merchandise volume.