"WEGA is one of the most important Esports tournaments"
Aspire Zones's executive marketing director Mohammed Mubarak Al Kuwari spoke exclusively to AS Arabia about the benefits of staging the competition in Doha.
Qatar's Aspire Zone along with pioneering online payment service TRUXTUN Capital are the key organisers of the major global Esports tournament WEGA, with the Aspire driven event certain to be pivotal in generating promotional interest for visitors ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Aspire Zones's executive marketing director Mohammed Mubarak Al Kuwari spoke exclusively to AS Arabia about the benefits of the academy staging WEGA, which is one of the most important global events in the Esports calendar.
-What are the new elements that we can expect from WEGA?
-This competition is considered as one of the most important in the world and is the first that will feature four different games: CSGO (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive), DOTA 2 (Defense of the Ancients), Street Fighter V and the Pro Evolution Soccer series. Aspire are the main organisers of the event but not the owners of the intellectual rights, that is something that lies with TRUXTUN with whom we sealed a deal last March. Our partners are the leading international company for online payment services and the investment is one of the largest that Aspire have been involved with in recent times. Preparation ahead of the competition has been ongoing for the past ten months and the tournament will be divided into four phases, the first is the recently staged inauguration, with the second phase set to commence in March.
-Why are no other games included at WEGA Qatar?
-This is a matter that has been deferred to the next phase as we do have the possibility to increase the number of games to seven and this is something that we will look to introduce in the final stages of the tournament earmarked in for the start of 2023. It's worth pointing out that to establish a new game, we need the respective licences and commercialisation agreements and that is why we are not unopposed to including other games as part of the tournament.
-What are the advantages for Aspire in organising this competition?
-There will be the obvious economic benefit and others relating to impact of sport in Qatar connected with the Aspire Zone which oversees different organisations such as sports academy, the and the Aspetar Sports medicine division. Aspire are also involved in a number of sporting projects, among those is maintenance and overseeing of the practice pitches that will be used by participating nations at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
-Gerard Piqué was invited to the opening ceremony of WEGA, why was he unable to attend?
-Piqué was forced to decline our invitation as the dates coincided with commitments to his FC Barcelona side.
-Why was Piqué invited ahead of other Barcelona players?
-Piqué is a major investor in the Esport business. He's supported the sport through investment and time and has overseen the development of a game where one can oversee the creation of a football team from zero, and through a series of astute decisions both technical and administrative, the player can guide that team through to the top of the league.
-At present, the terms of participating have yet to be announced, when do you expect to be able to do so?
-We're in contact with one of the leading companies regarding this matter, and they will be instrumental in determining participation in the tournament along with outlining a schedule and timetable. The tournament will start in September 2020, with a a domestic competition set to take place in the women's hall the Aspire academy in March with competitors being tiered according to their school or university levels. Along with cash prize, the competitors have the chance to secure grants for major Esport centres in Europe.
-What is the total of available prize money for the competition?
-The total sum of prize money available tops the 15 million dollar mark since the start date of tournament in September 2020 through to the conclusion in 2023.
-How are the accommodation levels for the teams at the Academy?
The facilities to accommodate participants at the event is part of our job at the Aspire Zone, and that goes beyond sports other than football. Installations at Aspire Zone boast all the necessary requirements to ensure the success of all aspects of this competition.