CMS has advised on the first Esports World Cup (EWC), currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The international law firm provided legal support to the Esports World Cup Foundation.
A team of over 30 lawyers across the firm’s practices and offices advised on agreements with the teams, sponsors, partnerships, and publishers, as well as the rulebook, media rights, and all associated regulations for the participation, according to a statement.
Announced in late 2023, the EWC is an annual tournament, taking place over eight weeks in July and August. Over 1,500 esports players are competing across 21 games, including Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Fortnite, for a share of the record-breaking US$60 million prize pool.
Sony is the tournament’s founding partner, with major sponsorships from brands such as TikTok, Amazon, Pepsi, and MasterCard.
The CMS team was led by partners Pietro Graf Fringuelli and Samuel Oustayiannis.
Fringuelli, who is based in Germany and is co-head of the firm’s technology, media & communications group, said: “The esports industry continues to grow at a staggering rate and attracts record numbers of viewers around the world. The EWC will change the entire esport and will help to develop a sustainable ecosystem.”
Oustayiannis, who led the UK team working on the media rights and partnerships, added: “The Esports World Cup is an unparalleled event, which attracts interest from a wide range of parties, from competitors to sponsors and the media. We were able to coordinate a close working team across our various practices and offices to ensure that all legal aspects were covered to make it a successful event to be enjoyed by all.”
CMS also provided support from Riyadh, led by managing partner Mohammed Aldowish.
The Esports World Cup is positioned to become a central feature on the international esports calendar, not least because of the level of commitment being demonstrated by the government. Saudi Arabia’s National Development Fund (NDF) has created two venture investment funds worth a combined US$120 million, aimed at targeting the gaming and esports sectors.
