Quick health update. Still standing. jamesfudge.substack.com/p/pe…

Building the LPL Dream: BYD Ocean Network has become an official partner of China’s LPL, making BYD the first Chinese automotive brand to sponsor the League of Legends competition. esportsadvocate.net/2026/06/…

Performance Play: G2 Esports has launched the G2 Performance Lab, a Red Bull-supported research platform focused on coaching, player development, training systems, and athlete wellbeing. esportsadvocate.net/2026/06/…

Sim Ladder: iRacing and the FIA are bringing back the FIA F4 Esports Global Championship presented by MOZA for a third year, with eight races beginning Oct. 31 and a $35K prize pool. esportsadvocate.net/2026/06/…

LPL Discipline: Bilibili Gaming player Chen “Bin” Zebin has been fined $22.1K by TJ Sports over a missed mandatory fan interaction. The organization was also fined $7.4K and publicly reprimanded for management failures. ✍️ @CHYchenhongyu esportsadvocate.net/2026/06/…

Audience Scale: Hero Esports says the 2026 Asian Champions League generated more than 380M play views and nearly 23M hours watched across Dota 2, CS2, and MLBB, with VG, LVG, and GZG earning EWC-linked qualification paths. esportsadvocate.net/2026/06/…

Beijing Return: IEM is heading back to Beijing in Nov. 2026 for what ESL FACEIT Group says will be the largest standalone IEM event ever held in Asia, with 16 CS2 teams, $1.25M in total winnings, 45,000 expected fans, and a six-day live-audience format. esportsadvocate.net/2026/05/…

A quick health update for anyone that's interested. jamesfudge.substack.com/p/ta…

Corporate Challenger: Alibaba PKQ, a team made up of Alibaba Group employees, is competing in the $1.46M Honor of Kings Challenger Cup. The roster includes LLM algorithm engineer Ye “Lemon” Yun, the only female player at the event. esportsadvocate.net/2026/04/…

.@PeterSchoenke If you didnt know, from behind the scenes, Peter, Jeff, and the Rotowire gang were already providing #esports updates for #ESPN in the form of match recaps and statistic updates in CS:GO, DOTA 2, and League of Legends. @Rotowire was ahead of the esports curve hiring a team of analysts and journalists to cover the burgeoning scene. My very first job was with Rotowire. Peter is stepping down from the place he helped build. A place that has given millions of people fantasy sports entertainment and more over the years. Peter, thank you for allowing me to be a part of the Rotowire Esports legacy and best of luck in your next adventure.

Lifetime Ban: TJ Sports has banned TOP Esports player Yang “Naiyou” Zijian for match-fixing, with the league warning teams over player-management failures. ✍️ @CHYchenhongyu 🔗 esportsadvocate.net/2026/03/…

Stars and Stripes: USA Esports has been named ENC partner for the U.S. In an interview, CEO Jesse Bodony discusses player selection and the challenge of securing pro team cooperation. ✍️ @TheUrbanShep 🔗 esportsadvocate.net/2026/03/…

A post surgery update from the boss:

Gold Deficit: NLC organizer League ApS is “no longer in a position to operate the league.” Riot and individual stakeholders are now exploring next steps for the Northern League of Legends Championship. ✍️ @Dom_Sacco 🔗 esportsadvocate.net/2026/03/…

My laryngectomy has been pushed to next week because at the eleventh hour the anesthesiologist decided, "Oh, we need a stress test before we can do the operation." Kind of sucks, and I had to check into the hospital overnight anyways, so I am stuck in Boston until tomorrow afternoon. It's 70 degrees out today here but I missed it because I'm half naked in a hospital gown on the 11th floor. BTW the staff at Mass General are amazing. I'm glad I am here; it is the best possible care I can get in New England.

Creator Power: Los Ratones may be gone, but the story isn’t over. Much of the roster has returned as Witchcraft, taking an EMEA Masters slot Bulldog Esports expected. @Dom_Sacco discusses how creator-led teams are reshaping Tier-2 League of Legends. 🔗 esportsadvocate.net/2026/03/…

Is esports actually a sport? @TheUrbanShep argues the question is more complicated than it seems, examining how national sports laws, publisher control, and intellectual property create unique legal and governance challenges for esports. 🔗Full analysis: esportsadvocate.net/2026/03/…

Bigger Arena, Smaller Footprint: IEM’s move from Katowice to Kraków reshapes the event’s footprint. Guest contributor Yushi Wang, who attended both events, examines the structural changes and industry implications. 🔗Full story: esportsadvocate.net/2026/03/…

Virtual Kickoff: Major League Soccer has selected ESL FACEIT Group to operate the 2026 eMLS Cup, culminating in a Columbus studio final where the top EA SPORTS FC players will compete for EA FC World Championship qualification. esportsadvocate.net/2026/03/…