“That Svenska Spel has chosen to become the SESF’s main sponsor, as they are for many other Swedish national associations, shows that esports is being normalised as a sport like any other. We are looking forward to building Sweden’s largest public sporting movement together with Svenska Spel,” says Magnus Jonsson, chairperson of the SESF and board member of the International esports Federation (IESF).
“We see great potential in esports and in future we would like to offer odds on esports. The agreement with the SESF provides us with unique activation opportunities and chances to communicate with and offer relevant offers to a new target group. If we are also able to contribute to increasing interest in and the status of the esports national team, that is a positive,” says Joakim Mörnefält, communications director at Svenska Spel.
Svenska Spel has previously applied to offer odds on esports and will be applying once again on the new gambling market that is expected to open in Sweden on 1 January 2019. Svenska Spel is already the main sponsor of the Swedish national associations for football, ice hockey, floorball,handball and bandy, and now esports will also become a partner.
“It’s great to have Svenska Spel onboard as main sponsor of the SESF! Svenska Spel will take Swedish esports to the next level with their enormous dedication and great knowledge of Swedish sport. This collaboration is a giant step for the Swedish esports scene,” says Andreas Samuelsson, Team Director Fnatic CSGO.
“It’s so cool that Svenska Spel, who are otherwise associated with their project Gräsroten and other sport, have now chosen to make themselves seen in an esports context,” says Kim Larsson, esports commentator and former professional player.
Since 2011, the SESF has been a member of the International esports Federation, IESF. SESF is thereby Sweden’s voice within the IESF and arranges the annual qualifying tournament for the World Championships. This year, the World Championships are being held in Chinese Taipei in November. Since 2015, the SESF has also been represented on the board of the IESF and since 2016 on the IESF’s players’ council.
