Esports Insider’s events arm ESI Events has announced the launch of “Play By The Rules,” a pioneering legal forum dedicated to the esports sector, taking place as part of ESI Lisbon from September 23rd to 25th, 2024.
In cooperation with international lawyers Leonid Shmatenko (Eversheds Sutherland) and Rodolphe Ruffié-Farrugia (Clifford Chance) as well as Esports Legal News, this inaugural event aims to set the standard for esports-focused legal conferences worldwide.
ESI Events and the co-organisers intend for “Play By The Rules” to provide a platform for legal professionals (including attorneys, in-house-lawyers, academics and students), industry stakeholders, and esports enthusiasts to delve into the complex legal landscape of the esports sector. The forum will have a focus on player contracts, intellectual property, governance and regulation, streaming rights and more.
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Key Dates
- September 24, 2024: Play By The Rules Conference (Concurrent with ESI Lisbon Day 1 and taking place at the same venue)
- September 25, 2024: Exclusive access for PBTR speakers, sponsors, and VIP guests to ESI Lisbon Day 2 and the SBC Summit
“Play By The Rules” will cover a broad spectrum of legal questions affecting the global esports industry through stage talks, roundtable discussions and focussed group networking, with an emphasis on creating actionable takeaways for attendees. Key areas of discussion will include:
- Player contracts and rights
- Intellectual property challenges
- Governance and regulatory frameworks
- Streaming and broadcasting rights
- Dispute resolution mechanisms
Attendees will also have the opportunity to attend the evening social event, the ESI Film Festival at the MEO Arena with food and beverage, gaining detailed insights into esports, gaming and intersecting industries through short films that shine a light on stories behind the screens.
Running alongside the SBC Summit, which anticipates over 25,000 attendees, ESI Lisbon will feature:
Already confirmed attendees at ESI Lisbon include:
- Formula One
- Savvy Games
- UNICEF
- Samsung Ads
- OverActive Media
- Deutsche Telekom
- Radisson Hotel Group
- Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One
- Twitch
- BLAST
- ESL FACEIT Group
- Chess.com
- Electronic Arts
- Ubisoft
- City Football Group
- Visit Raleigh
- Team Liquid
- Moonton
- Visit Qatar
- OG Esports
- Wasserman
- & many, many more
Sam Cooke, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Esports Insider, said: “We are thrilled to launch ‘Play By The Rules’ in partnership with Leonid Shmatenko of Eversheds Sutherland and Rodolphe Ruffié-Farrugia of Clifford Chance as part of ESI Lisbon 2024. Our new esports legal forum represents a first and important step in addressing the complex legal challenges within the esports industry, providing a dedicated forum for discussion, innovation, and actionable solutions. By bringing together the brightest minds in esports law, we aim to set a new standard for legal excellence in this rapidly evolving sector.”
Leonid Shmatenko, Senior Associate at Eversheds Sutherland and Founder of Esports Legal News, commented: “After an extensive search for a comparable event in the market, I found numerous conferences that addressed video games law but none that focused specifically on the unique legal challenges in esports. Esports is a rapidly growing field with its own set of legal considerations, and it is high time we had a dedicated platform to address these issues. I approached ESI with this concept and their enthusiasm and commitment to excellence made them the perfect partner. Together, we aim to set new standards in the esports law conference world, providing invaluable insights and fostering a deeper understanding of the legal landscape in esports.”
Rodolphe Ruffié-Farrugia, Counsel at Clifford Chance and co-founder of Esports Legal News, said: “For years now, esports has been a booming industry and we have witnessed the emergence of a wide variety of professional stakeholders, including the players themselves, their teams, the leagues, tournament organisers… Yet, the legal industry has not been as quick in adapting to the unique needs and high stakes at play in esports, no doubt because lawyers and gamers tend to evolve in different worlds. Knowing well these communities from within both personally and professionally, I have made it a mission years ago to build bridges between them. I feel very lucky to have found like-minded peers in Leonid and ESI to create this first-of-its-kind summit, a turning point in bringing esports and the law together.”
Tickets to B2B esports, games and creator economy event and industry festival ESI Lisbon are still available. Early bird tickets offering 33% off are available until August 23rd. For more information and to purchase a ticket, click here.
