Fighting to the Top: World's First All-Female Esport Tournament
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Introduction
Sky Broadband has partnered with the David Beckham-owned company, Guild Esports, to launch the world's first all-female gaming tournament. The initiative was designed in the hopes of boosting the number of female pro esport athletes ahead of some shocking statistics. Here's what we know.
Image via Guild Esports
The Tournament
The tournament kicked off this month and is the first of its kind to offer women the chance to showcase their skills and talents and potentially win a cash prize or major pro-gaming contract by the end of it.
In the UK, over 47% of gamers are women, with only 5% making their way to the pro position due to the lack of opportunities. This opportunity will provide that particular half of the UK's gaming statistics to show off and bag a contract that would have otherwise been offered to their male competitors. In comparison, 46% of Australia's gamers are women, with 19% reaching pro status.
The competition comprises two major events. The first will be the Racers E-series, followed by the Soccer E-series. Players will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents through various races and virtual football matches.
Aside from a game-changing (pun-intended) contract for potential pro athletes, winners will be rewarded with their share of £50,000 (USD$62,500).
The competition will take place between April 26 and May 19 for those interested in the racing series. The soccer series is yet to be announced but will most likely take place later in May. The finals will be streamed from Sky's HQ and will be live for eager supporters to watch.
Image via Sky TV
The Statistics
This tournament has long been called for by female gamers across the globe. A study done by Bryter revealed that over half of the female gaming community believe that there are too few opportunities in the gaming community to encourage women to play or compete.
This isn't Sky Broadband's first time doing something for the female gaming community. Last year, it teamed up with the same Guild Esports and the charity Cybersmile and ran a campaign to raise awareness about the cyber abuse of female gamers. This came after it was found that the majority of female gamers have faced abuse online, with over 80% of the comments having sexual connotations.
The unfortunate side of gaming is the ability for gamers to hide behind their screens whilst taking part in online campaigns. These cyber barracks allow gamers to throw their rude comments over the wall and avoid the consequences.
With competitions such as this all-female initiative, the aim is to create a safe space for female gamers to create a community in which they feel comfortable and supported whilst pursuing their careers. With such a big company paying attention to the issue, the hope is that other tech giants might step up and start to offer more female-specific pro gaming contracts.
Source: Newzoo 2023 Global Gamer Study
Girl Power
Sky Broadband and Guild Esports are really taking the initiative and providing something to the female gamers of the world that we have never seen before. The tournament has started the discussion in the industry about the fair treatment of female gamers and the toxic community which they are sometimes forced to be a part of. This tournament will hopefully boost the confidence of female gamers across the world and inspire young and upcoming esport gamers to follow in their footsteps.
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