Hi {{first_name | there}},

August was a milestone month for us — one that’s been a long time coming.

On 7 August, we officially revealed Ireland Esports Leagues. Not just a new name, but a new system: one identity bringing together our Schools, Collegiate, and Company Series.

It’s a structure designed to give Ireland the esports ecosystem it deserves — connected, credible and scalable. The reaction from students, educators, partners, alumni and national communities has been hugely encouraging.

But launches are never the finish line. Behind the shiny new crest and website are months of graft — aligning tournament tools, refreshing comms and stitching together three very different communities under one banner.

Reaction from the Ireland’s national esports community leaders has been really encouraging too.

The payoff? Clarity for participants, confidence for partners and a platform we can now grow into 2025/26 and beyond.

If August was about raising the bar, September will be about clearing it.

Our short reads, long reads, successes, challenges…well you know the rest, they follow below 👇🏼

🗞️ In Focus – The Evolving Business Models of Esports: Beyond Sponsorship

In August, OG Esports secured new investment from Chiliz Group — leaning into fan tokens and Web3 as a fresh revenue stream. At the same time, Guild Esports closed its doors, undone by over reliance on sponsorship (and maybe a Beckham-sized licensing bill from day one).

Two very different stories. One common lesson: diversification isn’t optional anymore.

Here’s our selection of short and long reads from across the esports and gaming media;

🚀 Ireland Esports Leagues Revealed - The big one. We unveiled Ireland’s first unified esports ecosystem — a connected framework for Schools, Universities and Companies. The launch wasn’t just a rebrand; it was a reset. A new identity, a clear message, and a platform that can scale.

🚀 Company Series Locked In - Pilot done, evaluated and the plan for 25/26 was finalised. Six titles are locked, giving us the range to reach everyone from casual workplace gamers to competitive alumni teams. Fancy a peek?

🚀 Systems Aligned Across the Board - From tournament tools to comms flows, August was the month we synced our operations across all three series. The behind-the-scenes work means participants, educators, and partners will feel a smoother, more joined-up experience heading into the new season.

Intro to challenge; Building Ireland Esports Leagues wasn’t just about unifying competitions — it was about creating a sustainable model.

The reality of operating in a small market like Ireland is that scale is limited, and that forces us to be deliberate about where the money flows and how value is created. Each of the three series plays a different role:

🏫 Schools Series and 🎓 Collegiate Series

These are about reinvesting in the base. They build trust with educators, institutions, and parents while giving young players a structured pathway into esports. They’re also where we deliver the biggest social impact. But to remain credible and sustainable, they must wash their face — covering their own costs through a mix of affiliation fees, sponsorship and local support. We want these to be top-tier experiences, but we can’t run them at a loss.

🏢 Company Series

This is the intended revenue centre. It’s where the pathway converts into commercial opportunity — engaging graduates, professionals and alumni in a format that companies will pay for because it delivers value: team-building, brand exposure, recruitment and culture. This is the piece that balances the books and gives us the flexibility to keep reinvesting in Schools and Collegiate.

💡 The balancing act

Our challenge is to scale participation across all three without diluting quality, while building a commercial model that recognises the different roles each series plays. Sponsorship alone won’t cut it in a market this size — but smart sponsorship layered onto a system where Schools and Collegiate sustain themselves and Company drives revenue? That’s how IEL becomes both sustainable and replicable.

The test now is proving that this balance works in Ireland — because if it does, it becomes a blueprint for other markets too.

The 2025/26 Office Showdown: Ireland’s Esports Company Series is now open for registrations. Six titles. Remote play. LAN finals. Bragging rights included.

We’re looking for teams from startups, scaleups, big tech, publishers, people teams and alumni groups to step in and represent. Whether it’s HR chasing culture wins or a few colleagues chasing glory, this is team building with a competitive edge.

👉 Tag a company in our LinkedIn post that should be in the mix (it’s easy!).

👉 Or simply share this link 👉🏼 https://www.officeshowdown.com/register

The following metrics are for the period of 1-31 August 2025:

Take a look at what we've got coming up:

📅 6 Oct - 27 Nov - Company Series: Office Showdown Winter Tournament

📅 6 Oct - Collegiate Series Winter Tournament

📅 26 + 27 Nov - Office Showdown Winter LAN/In-Person Finals

Regards,

Kurt & the Nativz Gaming Team