KUALA LUMPUR: Major international eSports teams have approached Selangor Red Giants (SRG) with potential partnership proposals aimed at boosting both sides' prospects at the eSports World Cup (ESWC) next year.
The ESWC, an annual multi-game tournament held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, features 22 different eSports titles and offers over US$60 million in prize money.
Among its events is the coveted "Club Championship," where the team with the highest points across all titles take home an impressive US$7 million (RM30.5 million) in prize money.
Some top teams, lacking representation in specific games, seek partnerships with smaller teams to maximise their overall points.
For instance, Team Falcons joined forces with reigning M5 World Champions AP. Bren from the Philippines, competing in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) at this year's ESWC as Falcons AP. Bren.
SRG co-founder Simon Lim confirmed that SRG had been approached by two major foreign teams prior to their Mid-Season Cup triumph in July.
"We put the deal on hold because I like to iron things out. When I enter a partnership, I want it to be meaningful, and there wasn't enough time to finalise the details," said Simon.
"It's about more than finances – branding is very important to us, and I have to protect the SRG brand from being diluted. I want to ensure a win-win situation for both sides."
While Simon has signed a non-disclosure agreement on the proposed partnership, he hinted that two high-profile names are interested in buying equity in SRG.
"If I announce the names, the community will be very excited," he added.
Simon was speaking during a recent Timesport: On the Beat podcast episode, which will be available on Audioplus, Spotify, and Apple Podcast starting Thursday (Oct 31).