The Equal eSports Initiative:
The Equal eSports Initiative is a joint movement of Deutsche Telekom AG, SK Gaming and the esports player foundation. Launched in September 2021, we are committed to more diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities in esports.
In the long term, we want to enable women and non-binary talents to reach their full potential, normalize mixed teams and give them the recognition they deserve.
Equal eSports Talents - Support at the highest level
We want to prove that women and non-binary players are just as good as male players. With this initiative, we are moving esports more into the center of society and giving you the opportunity to play even more in the focus of professional teams in order to establish mixed teams in the long term.
Since 2021, we have been supporting European players who identify as women or non-binary people with our Equal eSports talent development program. In its fourth year, we are supporting a total of 22 players in League of Legends, VALORANT and Brawl Stars. The 22 players come from 12 different European countries and will be supported for 12 months with a funding volume of €30,000 per player.
The support includes all of the esports player foundation’s support modules, including in-game coaching, sports psychology support, regular fitness training, hardware support, a mentoring program and much more. This includes boot camps in which the talents are taught important routines for their careers as competitive athletes.
Why Equal eSports talent development is important
The esports industry is growing steadily and is increasingly establishing itself as an integral part of the modern entertainment industry. Nevertheless, women and non-binary people are still underrepresented in many areas of the scene. This is precisely where Equal eSports talent development comes in: It creates targeted opportunities for these groups and supports them in gaining a foothold in the esports world.
In addition to the opportunity to prove themselves in competitive games, the program also promotes personal and professional development. The close support of experienced coaches and exchanges within the community create an environment in which talented players can grow and achieve their goals.
Further development of the project
In 2024, the best esports players from a total of three titles will be among the sponsored scholarship holders. Every year, the level of play of the recipients, who have played a decisive role in the esports community, increases.
We look forward to the many individual success stories of the talents and are proud to make a contribution that will have a lasting impact on esports.
