Formula E’s esports competition returns with new influencer-led spinoff series

Formula E's Accelerate Championship is now in its third season (Formula E)

Short Url

https://arab.news/cwdep

Updated 25 April 2023

Arab News

April 25, 2023 13:39

Follow @arabnews

Formula E’s esports competition returns with new influencer-led spinoff series

Competition started at ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races in Berlin and will continue in Rome
In-person live final will be part of the 2023 Hankook London E-Prix race weekend on Saturday, July 29 with a $44,000 prize pool

Updated 25 April 2023

Arab News

April 25, 2023 13:39

Follow @arabnews

Formula E has announced the return of the elite international simulated racing esports tournament, the Accelerate Championship, with a brand new influencer-led spinoff series to run alongside the main competition.

The first round took place ahead of the 2023 SABIC Berlin E-Prix races in Germany on April 22 and 23.

Now in its third season, Accelerate brings together the world’s best sim racing talent with a $44,000 prize pool on offer. Competitors will race in all-new Formula E GEN3 race car simulators on Formula E racetracks while representing teams in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

The first online qualifying series took place on April 15 and 16 with 88 contenders. Twenty-two went forward to the first Berlin event which was streamed at the Gaming Arena in the Allianz Fan Village and online on Formula E’s official YouTube and Twitch channels.

Two rounds will continue at the 2023 Hankook Rome E-Prix race weekend on July 15 and 16. The top 11 competitors from across the Berlin and Rome events will win a place in the Accelerate Championship live final to be staged at ExCeL London, as part of the huge season finale weekend of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on July 29 and 30.

Building on the appeal of the Accelerate Championship to the global gaming community, Formula E is launching an all-new influencer-led esports series. Accelerate AMPED will bring together 11 influencers each representing Formula E teams and generating entertainment-led competitive content.

The influencer racers will aim to score points to help their teams take home the Accelerate Teams Championship.

Accelerate AMPED heats will take place alongside the Accelerate Championships in Berlin and Rome giving fans the chance to watch the action live on stage in the Gaming Arena. The Accelerate AMPED final will also take place live at the 2023 Hankook London E-Prix race weekend.

Oracle Red Bull Racing esports driver, Frede Rasmussen, won both previous Accelerate Championships in 2021 and 2022.

Kieran Holmes-Darby, gaming director, Formula E, said: “Formula E is delivering highly competitive, world-class racing both on the track and in the sim racing world with the Accelerate Championship. This year’s competition is set to take it up another level with the inaugural Accelerate AMPED series. We are merging the worlds of competitive gaming and influencers to introduce a new wave of competitors and give fans an exciting new way to engage with Formula E.

“Our GEN3 car is also featuring in a video game for the first time, having launched in Factor2 ahead of the Berlin qualifiers and will also be launching in Real Racing 3 before our Rome Accelerate AMPED event!”

Follow @arabnews

Topics: Formula E

Winds of change blowing through Saudi football as elite clubs ponder privatization

Saudi Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal speaking at the press conference on Monday. (Twitter/@GSA_KSA)

Updated 06 June 2023

John Duerden

June 05, 2023 23:58

Follow @arabnews

Winds of change blowing through Saudi football as elite clubs ponder privatization

Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund has taken 75 percent ownership of four of the Kingdom’s top clubs: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli

Updated 06 June 2023

John Duerden

June 05, 2023 23:58

RIYADH: A revolution is taking place in Saudi football, on and off the pitch. As some of the world’s best players increasingly look to the possibility of playing in the Roshn Saudi League, the prospect of privatization — and the benefits it could bring — is in the air at the Kingdom’s elite clubs.

On Sunday, it was reported that Karim Benzema, who received the Ballon d’Or last October, had agreed to sign for Al-Ittihad, just days after the Jeddah giants celebrated clinching a first league title since 2009.

The French striker follows in the footsteps of his former Real Madrid teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed for Al-Nassr in December. And the Portuguese star believes the future is bright for the Saudi top flight.

“The league is very good,” Ronaldo said shortly after the season concluded. “But I think we have many, many opportunities to still grow. The league is competitive … but they need to improve a little bit more the infrastructure.

“And in my opinion, if they continue to do the work that they want to do here for the next five years, I think the Saudi League can be a top-five league in the world.”

As his comments suggest, such improvement depends on more than simply importing world-class talent — though that certainly helps, and match attendances have increased by 150 percent in the past year alone.

Just as important, however — perhaps even more so — is the ways in which the domestic game is organized and so it was striking on Sunday when plans were announced to help a number of clubs privatize this year.

“The privatization and ownership transfer of clubs aims to accelerate progress in a variety of sports across the Kingdom, further growing participation, providing cutting-edge facilities, increasing competition and nurturing future champions,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.

These plans have not appeared out of the blue. There were previous moves to shift the ownership of clubs from the public to the private sector but progress, never easy and smooth in any such process, was further slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the SPA, the current process will focus on three main aspects of development: Firstly to present the prospect of investing in Saudi sport as an appealing prospect; secondly to improve the governance of clubs and help them become more professional and sustainable; and thirdly to improve the infrastructure of clubs off the pitch to make them more competitive on it.

Authorities are targeting a fourfold increase in revenue generated by the Saudi League, from SR450 million a year ($120 million) to SR1.8 billion by 2030. By that time, the market value of the league is expected to increase from SR3 billion to SR8 billion.

In short, it is all about the Saudi game building a sustainable business model for itself.

The first steps were quickly taken. On Monday, it was announced that the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund had taken a 75 percent ownership stake in four clubs: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli.

The fund said the remaining quarter share in each of the clubs would be held by their respective non-profit foundations. This transfer of ownership took place with the aim of attracting further investment, increasing the contribution of the private sector to the sports sector, and creating new jobs.

It remains to be seen what this will mean for Saudi football in the coming months but these are undoubtedly major developments. It is no coincidence that the best leagues in the world are contested by clubs that are privately owned.

Indeed, if the goal of Saudi authorities and the country’s football association is to develop a league that is one of the top 10 in the world by 2030, never mind match Ronaldo’s ambition of a top-five spot, then the teams that play in it will need to be able to attract the very best people, from other industries, to be part of their organizations.

They will have to be flexible, build deeper relationships with key stakeholders, and become even more connected with their local communities. Clubs will need to become proficient at standing on their own two feet and developing business plans, discovering along the way what works for them and what does not. In theory, privately-owned clubs are able to move more quickly and be more flexible than those under public ownership.

As well as watching world-class players take to the pitch in the Kingdom, fans should be able to enjoy doing so in world-class facilities. But it is also hoped the benefits that will come from all of this will be felt more widely throughout a society that has become much more sportier in the past few years.

Participation in sport has increased from 13 percent of the population eight years ago to almost 50 percent in 2022. Football is the most popular sport of all, with more than 80 percent of the population following, playing or watching it. The foundation is clearly there, and great potential.

Thanks to the arrival of some huge international soccer stars, and the prospect of more to follow, there is currently an unprecedented level of interest in Saudi football, both at home and abroad. This means that now the perfect time to develop the Saudi League off the pitch, as well as on it.

There is a long road ahead. There will be a lot of unglamorous and boring behind-the-scenes work to be done — but it is very necessary.

Ronaldo will not remain in Saudi Arabia forever but a league full of privately-owned clubs that are successful off the pitch as well as on it could become a fixture of world football for a long time to come.

Follow @arabnews

Topics: football soccer Saudi Arabia Saudi General Sports Authority (GSA)

Kaku voted Saudi Pro League player of the year by Sofascore

Updated 05 June 2023

Arab News

June 05, 2023 21:02

Follow @arabnews

Kaku voted Saudi Pro League player of the year by Sofascore

Updated 05 June 2023

Arab News

June 05, 2023 21:02

RIYADH: Al-Taawoun’s Paraguayan winger Alejandro Romero, nicknamed Kaku, has been voted Saudi Pro League player of the season by Sofascore as part of its SPL XI team of the season.

The team included Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe, defenders Ahmed Hegazy and Ahmed Sharahili also from Al-Ittihad and Marwan Saadane from Al-Fateh.

In a five-man midfield, Al-Wehda’s Faisal Fajir, Ever Banega from Al-Shabab, Talisca from Al-Nassr, Igor Coronado from Al-Ittihad and Knowledge Musana from Al-Tai joined Kaku.

Up front was golden boot winner Abderrazak Hamadallah who bagged 21 goals this season.

The XI included five players from Al-Ittihad, who won the league with 72 points, finished with the best defensive record with only 13 goals conceded and a goalkeeper with 18 clean sheets.

Follow @arabnews

Topics: football soccer Saudi Arabia Saudi Pro League (SPL) Kaku SofaScore

LIV Golf stars ready for ‘world class’ Valderrama challenge

Updated 05 June 2023

Arab News

June 05, 2023 17:44

Follow @arabnews

LIV Golf stars ready for ‘world class’ Valderrama challenge

Local hero and former Masters champion Sergio Garcia competing alongside compatriots Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig

Updated 05 June 2023

Arab News

June 05, 2023 17:44

SOTOGRANDE, Spain: LIV Golf is preparing for its first stop of the season in continental Europe with the LIV Golf Valderrama set to take place at the Real Club Valderrama in Sotogrande, Spain, from June 30 to July 2.

General admission tickets and hospitality packages are now available for Spanish fans to see local hero and former Masters champion Sergio Garcia competing alongside compatriots Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig, marking the young Spanish stars’ professional debuts in their home country.

Some of the biggest names in golf will be challenging for the title, including five-time major winner and 2023 PGA Champion Brooks Koepka, reigning Open champion Cameron Smith, six-time major champion Phil Mickelson and two-time major champions Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson.

Garcia, the captain of Fireballs GC, has won three professional titles at Valderrama – site of LIV Golf’s eighth event of 2023 for the league’s 48 players and 12 teams.

The field features 13 major champions including Bryson Dechambeau, Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson, Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer, and Charl Schwartzel, as well as rising stars including Abraham Ancer, Joaquin Niemann and Talor Gooch.

Mickelson competed in the 1997 Ryder Cup and 1999 WGC American Express Championship at Valderrama.

Unlike the World Golf Hall of Famer, many of LIV Golf’s international stars – notably those from the US – will be teeing it up in Spain for first time.

The venue will be familiar territory for a number of the field’s European players, including former world number one Lee Westwood who competed in the 1997 Ryder Cup and won the Volvo Masters in that same year, Ian Poulter, who won there in 2004, and McDowell, who also won at Valderrama in 2010.

“We are thrilled to bring LIV Golf to Real Club Valderrama, a world class course with a storied history,” said Greg Norman, Commissioner and CEO of LIV Golf. “We are a global league, and this event will showcase the game’s top talent for a country rich with tradition and passion for the sport. It will be another exciting milestone for LIV, and we look forward to creating a memorable experience for players and fans alike.”

Follow @arabnews

Topics: golf LIV Golf Spain

Ons Jabeur defeats Bernarda Pera in straight sets to reach French Open quarterfinals

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur celebrates after winning against US Bernarda Pera.

Updated 05 June 2023

June 05, 2023 10:46

Follow @arabnews

Ons Jabeur defeats Bernarda Pera in straight sets to reach French Open quarterfinals

Jabeur, the runner-up at Wimbledon last year, advanced to the quarterfinals at Roland Garros for the first time in her career

Updated 05 June 2023

June 05, 2023 10:46

PARIS: Bernarda Pera could not win a single game on her serve Monday as she was eliminated in straight sets in the fourth round of the French Open.
Facing seventh-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, the unseeded American was broken eight times on Court Philippe Chatrier and lost 6-3, 6-1. Jabeur won 15 of 16 points on Pera’s second serve.
Jabeur, the runner-up at Wimbledon last year, advanced to the quarterfinals at Roland Garros for the first time in her career.
Jabeur also struggled with her serve but managed to save eight of the 12 break points she faced.
“She put a lot of pressure on my service,” Jabeur said. “I’m pleased that I was able to win my service games when I needed to. ... Hopefully, I’ll return well and serve better in my next match.”
Pera looked frustrated and tried to shorten rallies, but the strategy did not work. She ended up making 33 unforced errors in total.
Later Monday, No. 1-seeded Iga Swiatek will face Lesia Tsurenko at Court Suzanne Lenglen, while No. 6 Coco Gauff takes on Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. A year ago, Swiatek defeated Gauff in the final at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament and they would meet in the quarterfinals this week if they both win their fourth-round match.
In the men’s bracket, No. 4 Casper Ruud is up against Nicolas Jarry, No. 6 Holger Rune takes on No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo, No. 27 Yoshihito plays Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and No. 22 Alexander Zverev faces No. 28 Grigor Dimitrov in the night session.

Follow @arabnews

Topics: Ons Jabeur Bernarda Pera French Open quarterfinals

Boxer Nidal Foqahaa hopes to carry Palestine flag to Olympic podium

Updated 05 June 2023

Michelle Kuehn

June 05, 2023 14:28

Follow @arabnews

Boxer Nidal Foqahaa hopes to carry Palestine flag to Olympic podium

Ramallah-based 19-year-old has regained his place on the national team and is now eyeing Paris 2024

Updated 05 June 2023

Michelle Kuehn

June 05, 2023 14:28

Nidal Foqahaa is the first Palestinian boxer to win bouts at a world competition, and now the young fighter is targeting success at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Last month in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Foqahaa, 19, made history for Palestine by triumphing over two former Olympians in the IBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships.

Although he did not claim a medal in the International Boxing Association event, just making it onto the world stage was a hard-fought accomplishment for the pugilist, as it is for many elite boxers.

Living in Ramallah, Foqahaa is no stranger to struggle. Training out of the small Elbario Boxing Club, Foqahaa has been on a rollercoaster ride since he won his first boxing match at 16. Less than 10 months ago, he lost his place on the national team due to poor performances.

Although he earned his spot back through sheer determination, without proper funding he has not been able to rack up the fights and international experience he needs.

The Palestinian Boxing Federation has little funding available, so Foqahaa is reliant on development aid from the IBA and assistance from the Elbario club. Without any corporate sponsors, he must often pay his own way with the money he earns from working in construction.

After losing his spot on the national team, Foqahaa was determined to prove his worth. In February, he won a silver medal at the King’s Championship in Jordan, which took him to the IBA contest in May.

“Unfortunately, we do not have the money like other teams. I was so grateful to the International Boxing Association who sponsored the travel and accommodation of the Palestinian team last month,” he said.

“Right now, I am in Russia for a six-month camp. I was graciously invited by the president of the IBA, Umar Kremlev — providing us, the Palestinian team, with the international experience and facilities we do not have at home or cannot afford to get elsewhere.”

Russia has some of the best boxers in the sport, and is currently ranked third in the world by the IBA. During the camp, Foqahaa hopes to gain the skills he needs to compete in the upcoming Olympic qualifying competitions.

Nader Jayousi, owner of the Elbario gym, said he was confident Foqahaa would make it to France.

“Nidal is putting 100 percent of his time and effort into the goal of Paris 2024. He is completely focused on his training camp now, and the next qualifying events,” said Jayousi.

“At the Arab Games in Algeria, we hope to make it to the finals. The first qualifier for the Olympics is the Asian Games in China this September. We will use it as a KPI (key performance indicator) to gauge his progress.

“Then the Continental Qualifier for Asia will be in January, February,” he added. “The World Qualifier is his final chance to qualify for the Olympics, if we don’t through the continental event.”

Fortunately, the Olympic committee will cover his travel expenses to these qualifying events.

These are the real, daily challenges of being from Palestine, a world away from well-funded teams and personalized kits, which makes Foqahaa more determined than ever.

“Every struggle I face, drives me to achieve more. When I was at the World Championships, I didn’t get distracted and chose to isolate myself, focusing on the task at hand. I didn’t worry about the other teams, maybe they do come from better facilities, more experience, and more funding. But I fight for something more.”

Jayousi highlighted some of the inspirations for the current crop of Palestinian fighters.

“Our boxers are inspired by our local champion, Islam Irshaid. He won a few medals in Odivelas, (and the) Eindhoven Box Cup but nothing continental, or on the world stage,” the coach said.

“Because Islam had literally nothing, there wasn’t any gym then, I trained him in the streets, by himself. No teammate or sparring, but despite those limitations he was a great boxer. Sometimes it isn’t the right time, now he inspires a new generation in the gym. They look up to him, and he offers great support to the future champions of our country.”

No Palestinian athlete has ever qualified for the Olympics, and Foqahaa knows he has a long road ahead of him.

Conflict is part of Palestine’s daily life, and understanding what he is fighting for stokes the fire inside Foqahaa. He believes he can go far in the boxing world, and leave behind an important legacy.

He hopes to have a long and successful career in boxing, and possibly turn professional, so he can support his family and look after his father.

But for now, Foqahaa has only one thing on his mind, which is getting to the Paris Olympics.

Follow @arabnews

Topics: 2024 Olympics boxing Palestine

Formula E’s esports competition returns with new influencer-led spinoff series

Formula E’s esports competition returns with new influencer-led spinoff series

Treat for local fans as Berlin set for Formula E double-header

Jaguar’s Mitch Evans says new race cities are growing Formula E

Winds of change blowing through Saudi football as elite clubs ponder privatization

Winds of change blowing through Saudi football as elite clubs ponder privatization

Crown prince launches Saudi sports clubs’ investment, privatization project

Sports for All Federation recognized as national governing body for Functional Fitness in Saudi Arabia

Kaku voted Saudi Pro League player of the year by Sofascore

Kaku voted Saudi Pro League player of the year by Sofascore

Romarinho, Faisal Fajir voted Roshn Saudi Pro League players of the week: Sofascore

Al-Wehda goalkeeper Monir El-Kajoui voted Saudi Pro League player of the week

LIV Golf stars ready for ‘world class’ Valderrama challenge

LIV Golf stars ready for ‘world class’ Valderrama challenge

Varner wins LIV Golf DC, Torque takes team title

Harold Varner III leads after first round of LIV Golf DC

Ons Jabeur defeats Bernarda Pera in straight sets to reach French Open quarterfinals

Ons Jabeur defeats Bernarda Pera in straight sets to reach French Open quarterfinals

Djokovic eases into record 17th French Open quarterfinal

French Open lets Belarus’ Sabalenka skip standard news conference after questions about Ukraine war

Boxer Nidal Foqahaa hopes to carry Palestine flag to Olympic podium

Boxer Nidal Foqahaa hopes to carry Palestine flag to Olympic podium

WBC highlights diversity in boxing as it celebrates 60th anniversary

Boxing making moves to knock out mental health stigmas

follow us Follow @ArabNewsSport

Latest updates

Israeli soldiers to join Moroccan war games for first time

US senator presses for declassified report on Al Jazeera reporter’s killing

Saudi crown prince, Venezuela president discuss relations in Jeddah

How conflict is jeopardizing Sudan’s museums and cultural heritage

Ex-VP Pence jumps into 2024 White House race

Recommended

How conflict is jeopardizing Sudan’s museums and cultural heritage

How Saudi Arabia’s environmental initiatives are restoring the natural equilibrium

FSO Safer saga enters endgame with launch of UN-coordinated oil-removal operation

Search form

Print Edition

Search form

Search form

You are here

Formula E’s esports competition returns with new influencer-led spinoff series

Formula E’s esports competition returns with new influencer-led spinoff series

Related

Winds of change blowing through Saudi football as elite clubs ponder privatization

Related

Kaku voted Saudi Pro League player of the year by Sofascore

Related

LIV Golf stars ready for ‘world class’ Valderrama challenge

Related

Ons Jabeur defeats Bernarda Pera in straight sets to reach French Open quarterfinals

Related

Boxer Nidal Foqahaa hopes to carry Palestine flag to Olympic podium

Related

follow us Follow @ArabNewsSport

Latest updates

Recommended

Search form

Print Edition