New Global Sports Conference brings ‘incredible assembly of leaders’ from gaming and sports, says Ralf Reichert

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Updated 24 August 2024
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New Global Sports Conference brings ‘incredible assembly of leaders’ from gaming and sports, says Ralf Reichert

New Global Sports Conference brings ‘incredible assembly of leaders’ from gaming and sports, says Ralf Reichert
  • Esports World Cup Foundation CEO spoke to Arab News about the conference that concludes 8-week star-studded tournament

RIYADH: As the New Global Sports Conference takes place in Riyadh over the weekend, one man in particular will look back on the summer with immense pride.

Ralf Reichert, the CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, has just overseen a tournament of 22 competitions, across eight weeks, with prize money of $60 million on offer.

The theme of the second edition of the NGSC is “The Future of Fandom” and, appropriately for Reichert, the fan engagement at the Esports World Cup exceeded all expectations.

“I think every sport is as good as its fans are, if you really think about this,” Reichert told Arab News. “So, the fans are almost the result of the success of the sport. So, us bringing an incredible assembly of leaders from gaming, esports and sports together in one place, at a quality that has never happened anywhere in the world before, is a testament to the Esports World Cup and its draw, and its relevance already in the industry. But as well, it is an incredible opportunity to think about how these three industries can continue to foster and grow their collaboration.”

Reichert says it is important to appreciate the “additional” value that the Esports World Cup brings to the market.

“It’s not replacing anything, it’s not competing with anything,” he said. “It’s adding something to make esports and gaming, as a whole, bigger. And conferences are a unique opportunity to really collaborate and work together to try to design the future, to improve the future.”

As the Esports World Cup entered its final weekend, Reichert declared the organizers “incredibly happy” with how the event had gone.

“I think, first and foremost, the players and the clubs, the core of the sport, worked super well,” he said. “We have an amazing winner with Team Falcons — they truly deserve it. We have changed the lives of many of these players for the better, and gave them career opportunities they would have never had.

“The fans turned up for the tournament itself; we had full stadiums most of the time, we had an incredible experience on the festival. We had many, many viewership records broken, and, last but not least, the mainstream media and international coverage has been way beyond everything we ever expected.

“We knew that the Esports World Cup will make a difference for the sport and the public perception of video games and esports. But I think it’s much, much bigger and faster than we ever hoped for.”

The summer-long Esports World Cup saw a major upscale, in terms of length, prize money and number of competitions, over its predecessor, Gamers8.

“We designed it in a way that it can survive the eight weeks and we made sure that we treat every week like it’s the last week,” said Reichert. “We really tried to add clear stories, clear highlights from the sport and beyond the sport. That included many visits of international celebrities, specifically from the football world, which just shows how close these are together, how big the cultural impact of video games is these days, because all of these international sports stars are younger than 30, Millennials, Gen Z almost.”

Among those who visited Boulevard Riyadh City were Al-Hilal and Brazil star Neymar, Liverpool’s Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and former Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder.

“We know for a fact that all of them are gamers,” Reichert said. “It shows how this is a cultural place for relevant athletes to meet from within the sport segment and then beyond it. It gives us great and very authentic content, which it seems like the world enjoyed and wanted to take part in.

“That’s what we tried to give to the people of Riyadh and to the world.”

With 22 tournaments taking place across the summer-long tournament, the Esports World Cup provided opportunities for male and female gamers in greater numbers than ever before.

“If we look at what we tried to create in terms of the environment, the number one priority was that the players come here, have a great time, have the environment to be at their best as an athlete, while at the same time, learn about the country and enjoy the hospitality,” said Reichert.

“They’re celebrities in their own regards. I have still to find any negative feedback from any of these athletes. It’s the opposite. I think, number one, we are clearly seen to be the tournament that takes best care of the players. And to a degree where we almost spoil them — and that’s a good thing, that’s our intent.

“Number two, a lot of them said that this was one of the best, if not the best tournament they ever attended in terms of coverage, and how it’s done and access as well, including the mainstream media coverage,” he added.

“And three, which is super important, we have the highest prize money that has ever been in esports, with $60 million. So, we could really change the lives of many of these players. There are players who have won more this summer than they have in their entire career before. We have many people who will go home and have a better life for their family. And that is a very, very good feeling.”

Fan engagement, at Boulevard Riyadh City and online, has been one of the successes of the event, according to the 49-year-old German national.

“I think that a sport creates moments that, you know, almost no other sort of entertainment can do, because you’re celebrating a moment with other people live in an event,” Reichert said. “This is the ultimate experience for any sport event, and it’s new to the Kingdom at that scale.

“So, to build this culture, to build this as the epicenter of esports, where we’re going to fill stadiums, full stadiums in the future, this is a super important milestone. We got it done with only 1,000 people at once in the venue this year, but that is still significantly bigger than anything else that ever happened in the region. So, we see this as an intermediate step to continue to grow the culture of fandom.”

Reichert said that the NGSC conference will be “super important” for the how sports will be consumed by fans in the future.

“The best games, the best players, part of the best clubs. But then the fans really complete the experience and the product. We built it and they came, and that makes us a full success.”

Reichert reserved special praise for Saudi Arabia’s Team Falcons, who claimed the Esports World Cup Club Championship.

“I think Team Falcons, from day one, they were favorites in the competition and specifically in the first two weeks, where they won two games. They outperformed the competition.

“The Esports World Cup Club Championship is a new format where it’s really about winning as many games as possible. Think about them like disciplines. Falcons basically went all in on this. They took a much higher risk. They doubled down on this competition.”

Reichert said that Team Falcons fielded 18 rosters throughout the 22 tournaments that were on offer, while the second team, Twisted Minds, and the third team, Fnatic, offered 13 and 10, respectively.

“I think it (the Falcons victory) means the world for the region,” he added. “It’s probably the first time that a Saudi sports team wins the competition at that scale. So, it is incredible for the sports.”

Reichert said that he is “incredibly excited” at the list of speakers taking part in the NGSC as well as some of star guests and athletes who will be present.

“Magnus Carlsen is a GOAT of Chess, FalleN is a GOAT of Counter-Strike, which is one of our most important games. We’ll have people from the Olympics speaking about the Olympic Esports Games. We’ll have many people from the sports sector, the CEO of the Saudi Olympic Committee, and many, many of the most important people from the game publisher scene, the people who create these games.”

The announcement of the Esports Olympics, to be held in Saudi Arabia in 2025, holds particular significance for Reichert and the organizers of the Esports World Cup.

“It couldn’t come at a better time,” he said. “It’s the summer of sports, almost. The Esports World Cup is on its way to be successfully culminated, and the Olympics, as the oldest and largest traditional sports competition, announcing that it will have an esports edition, is fantastic for everyone involved. It will be one of the key drivers in bringing even more fandom to the sport.”


India football great Chhetri comes out of retirement aged 40

India football great Chhetri comes out of retirement aged 40
Updated 07 March 2025
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India football great Chhetri comes out of retirement aged 40

India football great Chhetri comes out of retirement aged 40
  • The former captain, the fourth-highest men’s international goalscorer of all time, played his last match for India in June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier
  • Chhetri said last year that “instinct” told him the match against Kuwait should be his last and he bowed out in front of nearly 59,000 fans in Kolkata

MUMBAI: Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri will return to the national team aged 40 in an unexpected reversal of his decision to hang up his boots last year.
The former captain, the fourth-highest men’s international goalscorer of all time, played his last match for India in June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier.
Chhetri said last year that “instinct” told him the match against Kuwait should be his last and he bowed out in front of nearly 59,000 fans in Kolkata.
But on Thursday, India head coach Manolo Marquez announced the return of India’s most-capped player for the March international window.
India are out of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and are now targeting the Asian Cup in 2027.
“The qualification for the Asian Cup is very crucial for us. Given the importance of the tournament and the matches ahead, I discussed with Sunil Chhetri about making a comeback to strengthen the national team,” Marquez said in a statement from the All India Football Federation.
“He agreed, and so we have included him in the squad.”
India play a friendly against Maldives on March 19, in preparation for an Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh on March 25.
Football has struggled to find its feet among the 1.4 billion people of India, where the sport is dwarfed by the nation’s longstanding cricket obsession.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter once called India a “sleeping giant” of football.
Chhetri is a sporting icon in cricket-mad India.
The diminutive striker, who is 1.7 meters (5ft 7in) tall, made his debut against fierce rivals Pakistan in 2005 and scored India’s only goal.
Chhetri had two brief but unsuccessful spells in Portugal and the United States, but has spent most of his career in India.
In 2009 he was offered a contract by London club Queens Park Rangers, in England’s second tier, but he could not get a work permit.


Young Spanish star embraces transition from Barcelona to Al-Ittihad

Young Spanish star embraces transition from Barcelona to Al-Ittihad
Updated 07 March 2025
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Young Spanish star embraces transition from Barcelona to Al-Ittihad

Young Spanish star embraces transition from Barcelona to Al-Ittihad
  • Unai Hernandez talks Saudi Pro League debut, fan support and Al-Ittihad’s title focus

JEDDAH: Although a statement addition to the Roshn Saudi League in January, Unai Hernandez had to wait a little before making his debut.

Maybe that was to be expected. The Spanish starlet, a feature of FC Barcelona’s reserve side this season, only made the transition from teenager to 20-year-old man a month before he left his homeland for Saudi Arabia.

Born in Barcelona, his transfer from the Spanish giants to Jeddah’s Al-Ittihad represented the midfielder’s first taste of the professional game outside his own country.

However, a few weeks after he left La Liga for the RSL, Hernandez finally got the opportunity to show what he could do in Al-Ittihad’s home clash against Al-Okhdood last Sunday.

The young star was introduced at Alinma Stadium as a 76th-minute substitute, replacing Saudi winger Abdulrahman Al-Obud.

For Hernandez, it was worth the wait.

“I am very happy to make my debut in this great team,” he said after the 1-1 draw. “Since I arrived, I was really eager to play, and well, it has been a tough match where we lost these points and the victory at the end.

“But we can’t relax. And we have to try to win every possible match."

Despite his tender years, Hernandez already sounds like a seasoned pro. It maybe helps that he is surrounded in the Al-Ittihad squad by some of football’s most decorated stars.

Among them are Karim Benzema, the club captain and winner of the 2022 Ballon d’Or. Then there is N’Golo Kante, a FIFA World Cup winner. And Fabinho, who, like Benzema, is a European champion who has won the UEFA Champions League.

As they have already followed the same path from Europe to Saudi Arabia, they will be crucial to helping Hernandez settle swiftly.

“I feel very comfortable with my new teammates,” Hernandez said. “The fans also support me a lot, and that makes me happy and gives me a lot of confidence when I go out for those minutes.”

Although he missed Thursday night’s 1-1 draw with Al-Qadsiah, he has said before that he hopes to play a role, no matter how big or small, in Al-Ittihad’s intended march to the title. With such a talented group of teammates, no doubt he is biding his time as he waits for his next chance to shine.


Saudi gamer Modhi Alkanhal on how esports are empowering women across the Kingdom

Saudi gamer Modhi Alkanhal on how esports are empowering women across the Kingdom
Updated 07 March 2025
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Saudi gamer Modhi Alkanhal on how esports are empowering women across the Kingdom

Saudi gamer Modhi Alkanhal on how esports are empowering women across the Kingdom
  • Alkanhal recently won Best Female Player of the Year prize at the annual Saudi Esports Federation Awards, her third triumph in succession

RIYADH: Modhi Alkanhal, who recently won the Best Female Player of the Year prize, presented by Hilton, at the annual Saudi Esports Federation Awards, believes gaming and esports is helping to empower women across the Kingdom.

Alkanhal — whose triumph was her third SEF Award in succession — is one of a growing number of Saudi Arabian women who have been able to pursue professional esports careers.

Playing under the gamertag Madv, Alkanhal is an in-game leader for the elite Saudi Arabian side Team Falcons Vega, where she stars in Valorant.

Figures issued by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology show that 48 percent of the Kingdom’s gamers are women.

With the number of gamers in Saudi Arabia totaling some 23.5 million, nearly 70 percent of the country’s population, the potential for women in the sector is huge.

Research from consultants Redseer indicates that 69 percent of online women in the Kingdom are gamers — 1 percent more than their male counterparts.

“I am so proud to witness how much the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is supporting women empowerment in esports,” said Alkanhal, who is celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 and her 22nd birthday on March 10.

“I feel like Saudi has already achieved that level where it is a global nation in the gaming and esports landscape. Having so many women involved in gaming and esports is a huge part of that.

“Women are being empowered through gaming. I am proud to be part of such a development, and hopefully I get the chance to proceed with it. Also, I hope women across Saudi continue to get the chance to further their own passions, interests and success stories in esports.”

She says a large part of that empowerment stems from the work of the Saudi Esports Federation, the regulatory body in charge of nurturing elite gaming athletes and developing the community and industry.

Through initiatives such as Girls in Esports, the Women’s League, and the establishment of all-female esports teams, the SEF has played a key role in creating opportunities for women in competitive gaming.

The organization provides training, mentorship and platforms for female gamers to compete at national and international levels, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.

The federation’s activities are categorized into two streams. The first works to develop all levels of competitive gamers, starting with the grassroots community level and moving up to professional esports athletes that can achieve global excellence.

The second sets out to develop the entire gaming and esports ecosystem and enable talent. Through its programs, the federation ensures that women are supported in their journey to becoming professional gamers and industry leaders.

“The work the Saudi Esports Federation has done has changed the landscape for gamers in Saudi,” said Alkanhal. “I thank them for everything that they have done.”

Alkanhal, who started playing at 10, “relishes being at the forefront of elite Saudi women’s esports.

“I am proud of the achievements I’ve done so far; it’s an indescribable feeling,” she said. “It pushes me and gives me the motivation to self-improve for the upcoming years.

“I know that there are very talented female players in this country. That means more hard work and long, tiresome feelings, but more capabilities.

“I am proud to be playing fulltime and I’d like to thank everyone who supports me. All your positive support reaches me, and I hope I will be able to continue at the same level of quality.”


Doncic, James lead Lakers fightback as Knicks downed in thriller

Doncic, James lead Lakers fightback as Knicks downed in thriller
Updated 07 March 2025
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Doncic, James lead Lakers fightback as Knicks downed in thriller

Doncic, James lead Lakers fightback as Knicks downed in thriller
  • Red-hot Lakers extend their unbeaten streak to eight games in a pulsating battle at the Crypto.com Arena
  • Knicks left ruing a potential victory that slipped through their fingers despite a majestic performance from Jalen Brunson

LOS ANGELES, United States: Luka Doncic and LeBron James combined for 63 points as the Los Angeles Lakers produced a thrilling late fightback to seal a 113-109 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on Thursday.
The red-hot Lakers extended their unbeaten streak to eight games in a pulsating battle at the Crypto.com Arena that saw Doncic finish with 32 points while James poured in 31.
Doncic and James had both been instrumental in dragging the Lakers back into the contest after the Knicks led by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter.
The Knicks meanwhile were left ruing a potential victory that slipped through their fingers despite a majestic performance from Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-high 39 points.
The agony of the Knicks’ defeat was compounded by an injury to Brunson in overtime, with the mercurial point guard limping off the court after rolling his right ankle in a collision with the Lakers’ Austin Reaves.
“Our physicality in the fourth quarter was next level,” an exhausted Doncic said afterwards. “Once we got started, we played basketball.
“They’re a great team with great players and it’s a tough win. We’ve got eight in a row now and every game is a battle for us.”
The Lakers looked to be struggling after trailing for most of the game against a fired-up Knicks, who led by as much as 13 at one stage.
But after struggling for shooting accuracy for most of the contest, the Lakers began making shots in the fourth quarter. James bagged a crucial pair of three-pointers while Gabe Vincent also drained three from outside the arc to spark the comeback.
Vincent finished with 12 points while Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht also chipped in with 11 points off the bench, including three three-pointers.
The Lakers moved to 40-21 with the victory to remain in second place in the Western Conference, 10.5 games adrift of runaway leaders Oklahoma City.
Elsewhere Thursday, Stephen Curry scored 40 points as the Golden State Warriors rallied back from a double-digit deficit for a second straight game to defeat the Brooklyn Nets 121-119 in New York.
Curry – who scored 28 points in the Warriors’ comeback victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday – was in superb form as Golden State climbed out of a 22-point first quarter hole to grab a third consecutive road win.
Curry’s 40-point haul included seven three-pointers from 13 attempts, with the pick being a jaw-dropping heave from near halfway to end the first half.
That highlight reel-worthy moment made it a five-point game at the break as the Warriors roared back to life after being outscored by a whopping 35-15 in the first quarter.
The Warriors found their rhythm in the second period, pouring in 40 points to the Nets’ 25 before going on to complete the comeback after the interval.
Curry was backed by 25 points from Jimmy Butler while Gary Payton II added 16 from the bench.
Cameron Johnson led Brooklyn’s scoring with 26 points.
The Warriors improved to 35-28 and are now sixth in the Western Conference as they chase a return to the postseason after missing out last year.
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics maintained their pursuit of the Cleveland Cavaliers at the top of the Eastern Conference after cruising past an injury-depleted Philadelphia 76ers 123-105.
The Sixers, missing Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, were never in the hunt as the Celtics completed a wire-to-wire victory to improve to 45-18 in the East, 7.5 games back from leaders Cleveland.
Jayson Tatum led the rout for Boston with 35 points, while the in-form Payton Pritchard came up big from the bench with 19 points.
The only down note for the Celtics came in the second quarter when Derrick White was forced to leave the game after losing a tooth in a physical tussle with the Sixers’ Kelly Oubre Jr.
White left the game but returned in the second half wearing a mouthguard.


Wyndham Clark handles a stressful test at Bay Hill to lead by 2

Wyndham Clark handles a stressful test at Bay Hill to lead by 2
Updated 07 March 2025
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Wyndham Clark handles a stressful test at Bay Hill to lead by 2

Wyndham Clark handles a stressful test at Bay Hill to lead by 2
  • Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, Shane Lowry, Corey Conners and Christiaan Bezuidenhout were the only other players to break 70, each with a 6.
  • Only 14 players broke par, the fewest in 36 years at Bay Hill with an asterisk — this now is a signature event with only 72 players in the field, compared with 120

ORLANDO: Wyndham Clark handled a stressful day at Bay Hill by eliminating as much trouble as possible. Two late birdies as the wind finally waned carried him to a 5-under 67 and a two-shot lead Thursday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

It was clear from the start Bay Hill was going to be a beast with cold weather and big wind on a course with thick rough and putting surfaces that already had a yellow sheen to them.

Clark, with a pitching wedge to 2 feet on the 18th for one final birdie, had the highest score to lead the tournament in eight years.

Only 14 players broke par, the fewest in 36 years at Bay Hill with an asterisk — this now is a signature event with only 72 players in the field, compared with 120.

But it was tough.

“Pick your poison out here — you can probably create a story with whatever it is,” defending champion Scottie Scheffler said after the world’s No. 1 player shot 71. “The greens are tough, the rough is high, and the wind is up.”

Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, Shane Lowry, Corey Conners and Christiaan Bezuidenhout were the only other players to break 70, each with a 69. Rory McIlroy was poised to join them until a bogey on the final hole to join the group at 70.

Lowry was watching some of the feature groups on streaming before his afternoon tee time and didn’t like what he saw — Cameron Young on his way to an 82, Max Homa with an 81 and, unlike last week at PGA National, a premium on par.

“I turned on the TV and watched some golf this morning and it didn’t look much fun out there. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to my round,” Lowry said. “But I think we got favorable conditions. Even though it wasn’t easy, I felt like did I a good job of making my way around the golf course. I was pretty happy with my result.”

The wind died but the greens were getting crustier, so call it a draw.

Clark missed only three greens and salvaged a bogey from a shot into the water on the par-4 third hole. He didn’t drop another shot.

He narrowly missed an 18-foot eagle attempt on the par-5 16th, hit a tough lag from 45 feet on the par-3 17th for a tap-in par and finished with birdie.

“I knew it was going to be really challenging. And although 5 under looks like a fantastic score, I wasn’t necessarily trying to shoot that number, it kind of just happened. I was really just trying to keep it in front of me. Any time I got out of position, hit it back short of the green, leave myself into the wind, easy chips.

“I really didn’t have that much stress, which was really nice. That makes it for an easier round when it’s really tough.”

It was plenty tough for Xander Schauffele, who returned from two months off to heal an intercostal strain and slight cartilage tear in his right ribs. His health was good. The rust was evident. The score was a 77.

“Got my (butt) kicked,” Schauffele said. “Yeah, it’s a tough place to come back to, not going to lie. Palm Springs would have been nice, something like that. I knew I was going to come in on short notice to what is sort of like a major championship setup around the greens.”

Schauffele has the longest active cut streak at 57 tournaments, which now is in danger going into Friday. He was tied for 52nd, and only the top 50 and ties advance to the weekend in this player-hosted signature event.

But then, it was like that for everyone.

“I feel like I hit the ball really well and had very few birdie chances,” Ludvig Aberg said after he battled to a 72.

The scoring average was 74.6, and every hole played over par except for the par 5s.

“The fairways are quite narrow and when you miss them you’re in that thick rough, and you lose all control of your golf ball from there and you’re just hoping for a good lie to get it up somewhere near the green,” McIlroy said.

Bradley was bogey-free until he missed the 15th green to the left and then hit what looked to be a good chip until it kept rolling some 6 feet by the pin. Every green was treated with care.

“Anything under par any day around this place is good, but on a day like today, it’s one of the better rounds I’ve played all year,” Bradley said.

“I think that this is the hardest course we play all year,” he said. “I used to think it was Torrey (Pines). I think it’s here now. You’ve really got to play well to shoot under par. Sprinkle in some conditions like this, it’s really tough.”