BLAST

BLAST has announced an expanded sponsorship with Progressive Insurance. The expanded deal means that the leading insurance provider will be Presenting Sponsor for the entire Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) 2025 season. Following its successful sponsorship of the Rocket League World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, last year, Progressive is deepening its investment in Esports by extending its presence across all Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) events in 2025, including Qualifiers, RLCS Majors, and the Rocket League World Championship. Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenues for BLAST, said: "The expansion of our sponsorship with Progressive highlights the growing global reach of Rocket League Esports, along with its brilliant passionate fanbase and the exciting arena events on offer across the year. We are looking forward to further integrating Progressive into the Rocket League esports ecosystem in 2025.” Sean Freeman, Media Business Leader at Progressive, said: “We’re excited to help bring a fun and competitive Rocket League Championship Series season to the Esports community in 2025. We look forward to connecting with the passionate fans of Rocket League both in-game and in the arena all season long through this expanded sponsorship.” 

The BLAST Studios is back in action this week for week 1 of the BLAST Premier Open S1. 🆚 16 teams (11 are new to the studio) 💰 $400,000 🏟️ 6 spots in Lisbon 🏆 1 trophy 🔦 111 Moving heads 📺 206m^2 of LED Screen 🚥 470m of LED Tape 📉 34million pixels 📸 Stephanie Lindgren

BLAST and global game publisher KRAFTON Inc. are teaming up to elevate PUBG Esports. As part of the partnership, the PUBG EMEA Championship (PEC) and PUBG Americas Series (PAS) will return for a third consecutive year, reinforcing a commitment to growing the PUBG Esports ecosystem. This year, we’re also introducing the PUBG Players Tour (PPT), the first officially supported third-person perspective (TPP) esports event since 2018, adding a new dimension to competitive PUBG. Scott Appleton, Senior Esports Commercial Manager for BLAST, said: “At BLAST we pride ourselves on working with the best game publishers and most popular esports titles. Adding KRAFTON Inc. and PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS further expands and strengthens our portfolio of ecosystems. We can’t wait to showcase the best PUBG esports’ teams across Europe and the Americas this year and help further grow the competitive scene in the future.”  Atila Yesildag, Director of Esports EMEA & Americas at KRAFTON Inc. said: “We are delighted to partner with BLAST to elevate PUBG Esports in 2025. As we embark on another year of thrilling competition, players and fans can look forward to an action-packed season that builds on the strong foundations of PEC and PAS while exploring exciting new territory with PPT.” Full story: https://lnkd.in/dAM8-Bzz

The ultimate Fortnite showdown: Biggest creators team up with the world's best FNCS pros in LA! We’re bringing something special to Los Angeles on May 10. Taking place at USC’s Galen Center, this event will see 20 of Fortnite’s biggest content creators teaming up with 20 FNCS pro players in a Reload Duos showdown for a $500,000 prize pool and the chance to lift the Pro-Am trophy. Expect to see some of the biggest names in Fortnite battle it out, including Bugha, Clix, CourageJD, Lachlan, Mongraal, and SypherPK – with plenty more surprises in store. This event is yet another milestone in our fantastic collaboration with Epic Games, as we continue to deliver world-class Fortnite and Rocket League esports experiences. BLAST has expanded its presence in the US further this year, with four major arena events in 2025, putting the country at the epicenter of esports and gaming. The FNCS Pro-Am is the continuation of an unforgettable year for fans in North America and beyond! Whether you're watching online or joining us in LA, you won’t want to miss this!

We’re excited to head to SXSW this weekend to explore the future of esports and its global evolution! On March 10, Andrew Haworth, VP of Ecosystems, will take the stage for the panel "The Esports Renaissance and Global Expansion", diving into how competitive gaming is transforming live entertainment and reshaping global audiences. At BLAST, we’ve seen this firsthand this year - from Boston to Austin, Rio to London, Lyon to Singapore - as we continue to push the boundaries of esports events and broadcasts on a truly global scale. From electrifying arenas to cutting-edge productions, esports is evolving into a mainstream cultural phenomenon. 📅 March 10, 16:00 PM CT 📍 Fairmont, Manchester GG 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dncqKqiU If you’re in Austin for SXSW, don’t miss this conversation on the future of the industry!

Bringing Fortnite's biggest creators together with the world's best players for the FNCS Pro-Am! Last week we announced a brand new Fortnite event - the FNCS Pro-Am happening May 10, in Los Angeles, California, USA. Taking place at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center, 20 of Fortnite’s biggest content creators will team up with 20 FNCS players and battle for a share of the $500,000 prize pool and the opportunity to raise the Pro-Am trophy. One creator will be paired with one FNCS player in this Reload Duos competition! Some of the familiar faces competing include Bugha, Clix, CourageJD, Lachlan, Mongraal, and SypherPK. Fans attending in-person will be able to meet these Fortnite legends and others with the Meet n’ Greet option.

What's it like attending a BLAST event? 🏟️ With the Birmingham Major approaching why not read the experience of a father-son day out at last year's RLCS 2024 London Major at the Copper Box Arena through the eyes of "Mini-Dominic Sacco" in this piece on Esports News UK powered by AGON by AOC for the NLC. Rocket League is once again returning to the UK later this month with 16 teams battling over $351,000 and vital RLCS points to qualify for the World Championships in Lyon later this year. https://lnkd.in/eKJTnVJq

Speed, scale, and innovation—this is what modern broadcast operations demand. The way BLAST deploys our Artist, Bolero, SmartPanels and MediorNet at #esports events is a testament to both cutting-edge technology and the expertise required to implement it seamlessly. Delivering high-quality communication workflows at a global scale—and at speed—is no small feat. Watching Lasse and the BLAST team in action, it’s incredible to see how quickly such solutions can be deployed worldwide while maintaining the complexity of a high-level broadcast. Their ability to integrate not just #broadcastControl but also game data(Niels Møller & team) into a powerful technology ecosystem truly sets their productions apart, demonstrating excellence in workflow innovation and live show execution. Trunking #AES67 worldwide allowed Emil to connect the MCR with the on-site system. I wonder what innovation is next? #BroadcastInnovation #LiveProduction #WorkflowEfficiency #Esports #RiedelCommunications

We kicked off 2025 showcasing our brand new studio setup at the BLAST Studios at the BLAST Premier Bounty S1 and Dota Slam II. Taking 40 days to construct, the new studio features: 🔦111 Moving heads 📺206m^2 of LED Screen 🚥470m of LED Tape 📈34million pixels With a busy 2025 already in full swing we recently had both Dota Slam and the Six Invitational broadcasting eight program feeds to 25 different destinations and 70 broadcaster feeds simultaneously...and we're only just getting started 💪 📸 Stephanie Lindgren

We are still buzzing over the BLAST Counter-Strike Austin Major launch event earlier this month. 👾 The announcements for the June event have dominated local news with coverage in ABC, CBS, NBC affiliates and more. We are beaming at the opportunity to help introduce and inform Austin on the impact of esports. We cannot wait until June! BLAST Moody Center ATX Live Nation Entertainment C3 Presents Austin Sports Commission Joe Lovelace