Up to 28 esports organizations could be part of the Esports World Cup Club Program, with financial incentives for orgs that drive viewership and engagement.
The Saudi Esports World Cup competition announced the EWC Club Program to promote sustainable planning for the participating organizations.
The EWC Program will have 28 clubs (esports organizations), 22 direct invites and six picked from Open Applications.
The ultimate goal is to drive viewership and engagement for the Esports World Cup taking place in the summer, and clubs who manage to do so will be rewarded.
"Clubs accepted into the Program that show competitive excellence, draw the most viewership, and generate social engagement leading up to and during the World Cup will be eligible for an annual six-figure payout."
There is also a one-time stipend available in 2024, for teams to use to allow them to expand to other titles that part of the Esports World Cup that they do not have rosters for.
According to the official website, EWC Club teams do not gain automatic qualification to the Esports World Cup, and will still need to qualify via traditional means.
How does the EWC Club Program works?
Organizations that wish to be part of the EWC Club Program will be able to register from February 1st to 15th.
According to the program's official website, all organizations with a history of participating in one or more successful domestic or international esports are eligible to apply.
The program aims to help selected clubs viably expand their activities to other games. Financial incentives will generate an additional revenue stream to further strengthen organizations' businesses.
How to apply for the EWC Program
Applications for EWC Club Program will open for 15 days and clubs will have to go through some processes:
1. Application phase: on the official website, clubs will have to fill out a form. The three main factors in the application are;
- The club's past competitive success
- Strategy and objectives for the future
- Approach to fan engagement and content
2. Shortlist Phase: at this stage, selected clubs are invited to provide more details and context about their candidacy.
3. Pitch Phase: clubs in this phase will have to briefly demonstrate their applications in a live context. Clubs will have to demonstrate to the selection committee the contribution and value that the club can bring to the competition.
4: Final Selection: the selection committee will select organizations based on their performance in the previous stages.
About Esports World Cup
The competition announced at the end of October 2023 aims to take a step forward for Saudi Arabia in esports. After several years of organizing Gamers8, the competition arrives to "push the boundaries of the industry".
In the coming weeks, the foundation will reveal more details about the Esports World Cup taking place in Riyadh during the summer of 2024.