MWEB and ROCCAT sponsor South African team

So the MSSA has finally announced its team for the the 2013 IeSF World Championships to be held in Bucharest, Romania.

I see that this year the MSSA has MWEB and ROCCAT sponsoring the team.

That is good!

At last companies are beginning to see where the real development of gaming happens and are not just funding individuals and clans who want to make a 'fast buck' out of computer gaming.

Gaming is not going to provide many paying jobs in South Africa until there is real development among who is gaming in South Africa.

Until there is a solid base of gamers who are prepared to pay for championship experience, there will not be any true professionals.

It is like South African footballers complaining about how little they get paid, when the spectators refuse to pay more than R50.00 to watch a game.

Of course our players will never get paid the same if there is no base.

Instead the South African gaming scene has a lot of people leeching onto it expecting to be paid for blogs, paid for running championships, and paid for playing.

Look at how long it has taken basketball to set up a professional league in South Africa. It was only done because the Minister of Sport (Fikile Mbabula) made it happen.

And that is why government involvement in sport is important.

But more than that, I believe that no company should even consider sponsoring any body that is not affiliated to the national body. The reason is simple – there is no return if you do.

MWEB and ROCCAT are making things happen for gamers. MWEB and ROCCAT are helping to get gamers overseas and improve the standard.

For those interested, the MSSA put up the following on their facebook site:

“Although this is the fifth IeSF World championships that South Africa shall be attending, the support given by MWEB and ROCCAT has ensured the South African participation at the 2013 IeSF World Championships which is to be held in Bucharest, Romania. The team that will be representing South Africa at the 2013 IeSF World championships will be the largest eSports team that has ever departed from South Africa to play at a IeSF event.

The MSSA, MWEB, and ROCCAT are all in concord about the outcomes for the team. Although this is the first foray ever for a South African "League of Legends" team to foreign shores, everybody expects the team to handle themselves well and to be a credit to South Africa. The lessons that the young "League of Legends" team will learn in the Championships will prove to be invaluable, not only to themselves, but to all the League of Legends gamers in South Africa as well as to future South African teams.

However, it is in the women that will be going overseas to play "StarCraft II" and "Tekken Tag Tournament II" that the administrators put their greatest faith.

In 2012, Gabriela Isaacs finished in second place in StarCraft II and Lyrene Kűhn finished in fourth place in Tekken Tag Tournament II. This year has seen a slight change to the team where Yolandi Williams has powered herself into the team to represent South Africa in starCraft II. Yolandi dominated all the StarCraft II championships in which she played. Lyrene Kűhn, however, successfully maintained her position as the dominant force in Tekken Tag Tournament II in south Africa in order to better her 2012 result.

The team will be issued with its new kit showing both the sponsorship of MWEB and ROCCAT at the award ceremony on Wednesday before embarking on their wonderful adventure.

The full team is:

League of Legends

Name of Player........................Club

Conradie van Heerden.............ROCCAT
Myburg Brink...........................ROCCAT
Willem Strȍfeldt.......................2up Gamers
Kyle Rhoodie...........................2up Gamers
Marco Botha...........................2up Gamers

StarCraft II

Name of Player.......................Club

Yolandi Williams.......................Deviation Gaming

Tekken Tag Tournament II

Name of Player.......................Club

Lyrene Kühn..........................Knights Mind Sports Club

Due to Lyrene's experience with the 2012 South African Protea Team, and dealing with the many issues that arose, Lyrene has also been appointed as the captain of the team. This is the first time that a woman has been appointed as the captain of a South African eSports Team.
Lyrene is confident that the additional duties will not affect her standard of play.”

I along with all South Africans wish the team the best of luck.

All photographs used come off the MSSA facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa

QUOTAS

My blog on transformation certainly seemed to open an ant's nest!

Over 2,000 people read the blog, and over 65 people submitted comments.

Sadly few could be published as most contained, hate speech, racial slurs, cursing, and some just did not have anything to contribute.

Not a response suggested HOW to deal with the issue. All just stated that the idea was wrong!

Please read the following two sites:

1. http://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/mbalula-talks-tough-transformation-unveils-sports-awards-nominees
2. http://www.srsa.gov.za/MediaLib/Home/DocumentLibrary/THINKSPORT%20Journal%20Vol2%20No2%20August%202013.pdf

Both sites make it clear that this is a government initiative.

It is going to happen!

The MSSA under Webster has used a system which he claims has been effective. I just think that his system is weak and any system needs to be 'accelerated' to give more results and faster.

Cricket has started a policy of introducing two players of colour in each club team this year. There is not the uproar there, because they know it has to be done.

Read the links.

Then if you have a better idea on how to reach the goals set out in the score card, suggest them.

Those are the only replies I will publish!

Transformation in South African gaming!

While watching SABC TV2 yesterday morning (16 October 2013(, the Minister of Sport and Recreation announced the finalists of the South African Sport Awards.

Mind Sports South Africa managed to get Simphiwe Maphumulo nominated for the Indigenous Sports Star of the Year Award. This means as a finalist, Simphiwe automatically picks up a check of R15,000.00 and if he wins the category at the Awards dinner, Simphiwe will get a check of R130,000.00.

This is why eSports is part of the sports structure – so that the gamer can benefit.

The Minister also made it clear that quota's will be enforced in sport.

It is known that the MSSA does as much as possible to ensure that there is representation of all South Africans in its teams.

However, what of privately owned events. The TELKOM DGL still seems to be 'milky white'. All you have to do is look at the photographs, and you will see very few people of colour.

According to the last census, whites only make up 8% of the population, but if you went to rAge, you would think that you were still living in a pre-1994 South Africa.

DSGL, and all other competitions, should get in line with the governments' priorities, otherwise it could be seen that gaming, and the gamers themselves, are reactionary and do not identify with the New South Africa at all.

My suggestion is that DGL should not accept a team in their league if at least 2 of the team members are not blacks.

Think about it!

South Africa loses to Denmark and Israel - but do it in style!

From the MSSA:

"The Tri-Nations  held between Denmark, Israel and South Africa was held at MWEB's MCAVE on Saturday, 12 October 2013 from 18H00.

Philisande Macwili was there to represent the Western Cape Department of Sports and Recreation, and to award the National Federation Colours to the South African team.

The first match of the evening was South Africa against Israel. The young South African team was nervous, but they handled the game like troopers. It became very noticeable that the South African team were indeed very nervous on their first international match, and a number of mistakes were made that allowed the Israeli's to take full advantage and punish the South African team at every turn.

However, the South African team, loosened up in the dying moments of the games, and started to claw their way back into the game, but it was too late, and the Israeli's finished the game as the victors.

After the break, the South Africans had to face the juggernaut that is Denmark.

However, the young captain, Conradie van Heerden had re-inspired his team, and the South African team that took to the field of battle seemed to be a totally different team altogether.

Although the Danish team is without doubt one of the favourites in international League of Legends competition, the South African team came out fighting.

The audience at MWEB's MCAVE was ecstatic with the very different game play, and South Africa fought long and hard against Denmark, making the marauding Danes pay dearly for every victory during the game.

However, strength and experience won the day, and the Danes chalked up yet another victory as South Africa finally had to concede to the European team. It was a hard game, but the South Africans had played well above their usual standard.

Team member Kyle Rhoodie said to Philisande Macwili, "It was a hard game, harder than any game I have ever played before. I am glad that I did it as I have learned so much. It is one thing to watch the top players in the world, and it is another thing to play them. They were everywhere in the game, but we will be ready for them the next time we play".

Conradie van Heerden too stated, "It was an honour to play for South Africa, the help from MWEB is also invaluable in allowing the team to improve. Now that we know what we are up against, we know where our faults lie, and we know on what we have to work. The team played hard and every member gave of their best., but we can do better, and we will!"

After the match against Denmark, the team joined the audience to watch Denmark against Israel.

Denmark flew into action and immediately began inflicting damage. There was no doubt as to who was going to win. The strength and experience of the Danes also proved too much for the Israelis.

Thus the Danes took the Tri-Nations, 

with Israel finishing in second place, and South Africa finishing in third place.

After the match the Israeli team captain, Tal Winter said, "The TriNations were really enjoyable event and the games against both SA and Denmark were challenging and good. The event was helpful to us, as it showed us how much we have to work and improve until the IeSF World Championship, and we are looking forward to see SA and Denmark again in Romania." This is also the first time that South Africa will compete in an officially sanctioned competition for League of Legends. The Tri-Nations is thus, without doubt, a fore-runner of things to come

It is thus clear that at the MWEB MCAVE, new friends were made, competition was had, and more importantly, all the teams had fought and strived for honour, .

The South African team that was awarded National Federation Colours is as follows:

Name of Player	Club	Residence
Conradie van Heerden (captain)	ROCCAT	Durbanville
Myburg Brink	ROCCAT	Strand
Willem Strȍfeldt	2up Gamers	Bellville
Kyle Rhoodie	2up Gamers	Brackenfell
Marco Botha	2up Gamers	Bellville

Issued by:

-- 
Colin Webster
President
Mind Sports South Africa
P O Box 19275
FISHER'S HILL
1408
Tel: 011 828 4994
Fax: 086 672 1911
Cell: 073 593 9451
e-mail: mindsportssa@iafrica.com
URL: http://www.mindsportsa.co.za
Twitter: @mindsportssa
Skype: colin.webster4

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is an affiliate of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee.

The MSSA is responsible for the good governance and promotion of Board games (such as Backgammon, Diplomacy, Checkers, Draughts, Morabaraba, etc), eSports (whether they are played on ?cell phones, Sony® PSP?s, personal computers or similar), and Historical figure games (also known as wargames). "

Photograph taken from: https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa

Tri-Nations between Denmark, Israel, and South Africa - League of Legends

From the MSSA facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa?fref=ts):

"On the eve of the first Tri-Nations in which South Africa has ever played, Mind Sports South Africa has released the details of the team.

The Tri-Nations shall be held between Denmark, Israel and South Africa on Saturday, 12 October 2013 at 18H00 in preparation for the 2013 IeSF World Championships.

This is also the first time that South Africa will compete in an officially sanctioned competition for League of Legends. The Tri-Nations is thus, without doubt, a fore-runner of things to come.

Through the generous sponsorship from MWEB, the MSSA was able to begin its role out of on-line inter-regional championships, participate in the IeSF's on-line Dota 2 Test Matches, and now participate in the Tri-Nations against Israel and Denmark.

While Israel may be, as yet an unknown team, the Danish team is renowned for its prowess at the game of League of Legends. Only last weekend on 5 October 2013, the Danish team ripped the French team apart, and the Spanish team choose to rather forfeit the game than face the marauding Danes.

Thus the Tri-Nation match will give the young South African team a good taste of what to expect at the World Championships.

The entire South African team shall play from MWEB's MCAVE at the MWEB head office.

Conradie van Heerden, the young team captain, from Durbanville, has stated that the South African team is not afraid of facing one of Europe's best, and is quite looking forward to meeting the challenge. Conradie said, “No matter what, the experience will prove to be invaluable practice for South Africa's first foray into the world of international competition in the game of League of Legends”.

The South African team will be awarded National Federation Colours just prior to the start of the game. Protea Colours will only be awarded to the final team that is approved to attend the 2013 IeSF World Championships.

The team is as follows:

Name of Player...............................Club

Conradie van Heerden (captain).......ROCCAT
Myburg Brink..................................ROCCAT
Willem Strȍfeldt.............................2up Gamers
Kyle Rhoodie..................................2up Gamers
Marco Botha...................................2up Gamers

The games will be screened live from 18H00.

The first game will see the South African take on Israel.

To view the 'streamed' games, please go to:http://trinations.iesa.org.il/"

After rAge, what?

Well rAge is now over, the DGC and NAG competitions have been played.

The few have been given their prizes.

Now in the aftermath, we do a post-mortem, and what do we find?

We find that many players behaved like petulant children and most undeservedly criticised their sponsors.

We find that some of the competitions were not as transparent as they should be. For example, the StarCraft II Championship had the original draw published on Do Gaming, but something must have been changed during the competition to get the finals that were played.....

We find that nothing really happens now for gamers until next year unless you are a MSSA member.

Is this really what gamers want?

Maybe Mannion does not have the gamers at heart!

I see that Mannion of Lazygamer has had another swipe at the MSSA.


You just have to laugh!


It is now abundantly clear that Mannion does not understand how sports work.


Mannion is under the delusion that sports bodies are run by the different governments...


Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!


If he actually read anything about how sports are run, he would note that the sports bodies do not allow government control and interference.


That is why even the South African government backs off when FIFA tells them not to investigate SAFA.


To put it in a nutshell, the international body is a private association which has as members national federations (which are private associations).


An international test match is when the international body calls it a test match.


It is that simple – even Mannion should understand it!


And then of course, they raise the issue of the MSSA taking legal action against Lazygamer.


On that subject, Mannion on 4 October 2013 states:

“No official legal case was ever put forward”.

So, then what is Mannion's 'beef'?


Is Mannion just jealous that the MSSA is accomplishing things that no-one else can do in South African gaming.

In fact it is quite heartening to see how many gamers expressed their distaste at his article.

Time will tell what Mannion's true ulterior motives are....

I don't think any of them have the gamers at heart at all....

Flawed tournaments?

On the Do Gaming site, Magiel de Lange (better known as [DvG]enjoy commented in the article “StarCraft 2 DGC Groups Revealed” the following on 27 September 2013:


“yup, that's how I also have it but at this rate the people running the comp have made some funny calls so I wasn't sure. No admin gets back to any queries that I have logged about the way they run this sc2 comp.

if I was coolermaster I wouldn't be happy to spend so much money on a comp that runs for about 9 hours on the Friday night when no one is watching.

Having a single elimination top 8 tournament means all games will be played on Friday and this means Saturday will only see 4 players duke it out for 1st to 4th.

Sc2 having the most registered teams(1 only) this is sad to see the attention to detail DGL have gone about using the sponsors money to water it down to a point that its not even worth talking about.”


Really?


This is exactly what happens when a tournament is run by an organisation outside of the national set-up.


There is no bigger vision and there is no observance to national rules that protect the gamer.


De Lange talks about watering the tournament down, but is it really 'watered down'. The tournament does not lead anywhere.


Sure there is R6,000.00 for first place, but that is just pocket-money. The money that you win will not help you develop yourself as a pro-gamer, it will just barely cover your expenses.


And where does the competition lead?


Nowhere, that's where!


It is not as though the competition counts towards the exclusive national team trials at which gamers are selected to go overseas.


In fact, in 2012 PandaTank wisely chose the National Team Trials over the DGC. It was far more important for PandaTank to go to the IeSF and to be noticed.


I personally have a problem with group stages for developmental championships as they are easy to manipulate to give you the outcome that you want.


The group stages must be absolutely random or work to a very strict ranking system.


Either way, the groups for the StarCraft II DGC seem to be an agreed grouping. The way I see it is that PandaTank and StatiC will be playing for 1^st and 2^nd place, with Skiblet and Shase playing for 3^rd and 4^th.

 PandaTank

StatiC

Pictures used are from https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa

Broken promises!

I have just seen on the DGL website that Danil “Dendi” Ishutin is no longer coming out to rAge.


I was amazed to see how quite everybody is on the matter.


No outrage, no despair – nothing!


Makes me wonder if anybody out there even reads the Do Gaming page any more.


But more importantly, it shows how unfairly a very small group of gamers treat the MSSA.


Since 2005, as the MSSA claims, they have sent a team every year overseas except for 2008 when the MSSA brought the mighty SK Gaming DotA and CounterStrike teams to South Africa. See http://www.sk-gaming.com/video/58117-Loda_vs_the_giraffe for Loda's romantic adventure with a giraffe.

The 'community' was up in arms over the MSSA's decision as many gamers (very short-sightedly) felt that the money should be spent on prize money rather than bringing the SK heavy-weights to South Africa.


I feel the MSSA did the right thing.


Bearing in mind that the MSSA is a private association that is sponsored by companies, and does not generate profits of its own from trading, you can only realise how difficult it must be for the MSSA.


Yet, the MSSA has never once reneged on a promise to either send a team overseas, or to bring a team here.


Yet still, a very small cadre of discontents complain.


But what the Dendi affair does tell me is that it is not so easy to bring players here or to send them over there.


The fact that the MSSA consistently does it on a shoe-string budget tells me that the MSSA has the will, the drive and the commitment.



(The photo of SK comes off the MSSA's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.147780669007.140362.146018324007&type=3 )

He just babbles!

I had a response from Gavin Mannion where he stated, “I hope you know that I don't care what you think the law is, sources are private so deal with it.” in response to my statement “ "I hope that he knows that since his blog is not a registered newspaper that he cannot provide any protection to his sources."


Wow!


I can now see why Webster asked him to get legal advice.


It obviously wasn't a threat, it was advice.....


Sources for a blog are never private. I cannot believe that one man thinks that he is now above the law.


In fact, Mannion seems to make all sorts of accusations in his blog. If they were true, why does he not list the sources and why does he not take action.


It is my opinion that Mannion has not really sorted out in his own mind where he stands on developing eSports as he also stated, “You dear sir are the problem not the solution. I hope you take over the MSSA in December as you'd provide us with thousands of articles about how badly things are being run and how corrupt the system has become.”


His statement shows that even though he does not much like me, and he mentions me as the problem, yet he WANTS me to take over as it will give him articles.


So, all he wants is to write articles, not to fix anything, just write articles – presumably as long as it sells....


Is this not corrupt behaviour? Is it not corrupt to make a living off what you see as wrong? I think that it may well be.


Mannion too states that the system is corrupt.


Hmm, that is a first, democracy is a corrupt. Lol


Oh, I get it, he would prefer to be seen as the 'community's voice' where he sees and knows all... Surely if he was concerned, he would be advocating people to stand for the positions offered to right the wrongs, not hoping to see it fail.
 

In my opinion Mannion does not truly have any gamer's interests at heart.

Round 5, really, who knew?

So Mr Mannion, you seem to think that you have picked a fight with the MSSA.

Certainly your one headline titled “Quick MSSA Update–Round 5” seems to imply that you are in a fight.

I wonder if anyone has bothered to tell the MSSA?

The reason I say this is because no matter how hard I have searched the internet, I have not found any scathing or vindictive response by the MSSA.

I too looked at what Mr Mannion calls 'legal action'.

Well I hate to disappoint, but it does not even state the intention to start any litigation.

I see that Mr Mannon also claims to have a whole lot of information. I hope that he knows that since his blog is not a registered newspaper that he cannot provide any protection to his sources.

But, this is why I have advocated for years that Colin Webster should no longer be President of the MSSA.

For years he has pursued a concilliatory approach to people who have opposed the very existence of the MSSA for their own ulterior motives.

Webster has openly stated that he would not use the law to enforce the MSSA's rights as being the sole authority in charge of eSports in South Africa. He has openly stated that he would continue to work to get all gamers to see the 'strength' and 'purpose' of the MSSA and get them to cross the 'divide'.


Well, pigs might fly...


For all of Webster's efforts, those who were entrenched in their beliefs still are.

Nothing is going to change those who can not, will not, and dare not, change.

That is why I, for one is ecstatic that this is the last year of Webster's presidency.


It allows the way for the committee to become more representative. This in turn will unlock more finances from government. A truly representative association will also mean that the MSSA will become more aggressive in terms of pushing a number of development programmes as well as allow the MSSA to build up a war-chest to deal with those who do not see the political realities.


There also need to be several changes to the committee. The current rules that stop any one member from dominating the committee has to go.

Webster has continually fought to make sure that the committee did not form cliques, but it is only through cliques that you can have effective management.

That is why I will become a candidate in December.



There will be real change in December, and I will be there!

Nathan 'StatiC' Anderson eliminated from DreamHack

The MSSA sent out the following communique:

"On Thursday, 12 September 2013 the MSSA  officially handed Protea Colours over to Nathan 'StatiC' Anderson at the Old Edwardian Society in Lower Houghton.

The sponsorship received from MWEB was fully explained to all present. It was noted that if it were not for the sponsorship from MWEB, that Nathan would not have been able to attend DreamHack Bucharest.

It was then explained that with the accreditation of eSports as a full sport in South Africa, the Protea Colours Board is able to award Protea Colours to gamers.

This is the same Protea Colours that are awarded by the Board to South Africa's other sporting stars for sports such as swimming, cricket, rugby etcetera.

After the award ceremony, Nathan was whisked off to the airport where he boarded his flight to Romania.

However Nathan 'StatiC' Anderson, who plays for Veneration eSports  on a club level) found the championship to test his mettle. Among the finest players in the world, Nathan held his ground in some pretty intense games.  'Ret' (from the Netherlands) and 'Niroxs' (from Switzerland) proved to be too strong for Nathan and defeated him. However, Nathan fought back courageously to beat the Romanian player 'Shinersen'.

Unfortunately the win was not enough, and Nathan was eliminated from the group stages.

There is no doubt that Nathan learnt some very valuable lessons at DreamHack Bucharest which was played on the 14th and 15th of September 2013. The lessons learnt by Nathan at this event will no doubt put him in good stead for his forays into future competitions."

Prize money in SA gaming is premature!

A number of local organisations give prize money to local competitions.

Most notably of these is the DGL.

However, does this really help gaming?

Let's unpack the issue shall we.

First, the giving of prize money differs from the award of a medal or such as it ceases to be an award, but instead becomes a reward.

While everybody agrees that people should be rewarded for their efforts, the reward should be:

• In line with international standards,
  
• In line with effort given,
  
• if the game is being played at international championships, and
  
• In line with the professionalism of the recipients.
  

If the reward is in excess of the categories mentioned above, then the reward ceases to be a reward, and instead becomes merely an 'entitlement'.

And it certainly seems as though that the way in which prize money is awarded in South African eSports at the moment seems to be that. A very closed affair with the money going to those that 'deserve' it.

And then there is the matter of development.

How does prize money help development of the new gamers, of the elite gamers, and in getting new gamers into the competitive scene?

Getting in new gamers: There is no doubt that large sums of money offered as prizes carry sensationalist headlines. But after the initial hype, it is all an empty promise in my opinion. The prize money may well attract the attention of the reader and the non committed gamer, but it does nothing to enable anybody to actually start gaming. In other words it is purs marketing.... all words and no substance. It does not take the average person more than a few nanoseconds to realise that the prize money is reserved for the few. Thus, the prize money offering is incapable of helping new clans to start, to maintain the sustainability of clans, or indeed, provide for the very basics that a growing sport needs.

Development of new gamers: eSports is like a garden, in order to see real growth, the garden has to be tended, mulch and compost has to be dug in, and the weeds pulled. In other words, development of new gamers is year-long and requires continual attention. Gamers require coaching, training and events in order to improve. But before that, gamers need venues, equipment and support. Prize mney given top the few instead of having at least three times the amount spent on development is thus meaningless. The prize money given never gets distributed down the pyramid to deliver any real sustainability and growth to support the growth of eSports as a true sport.

Development of elite gamers: Of course it is the elite gamers who are the ones in line for the prize money, but does it help them?

The answer is NO!

Often the prize money offered by an organiser is split up among a number of titles and a number of positions, so, by the time the monies are actually given, the amounts are not enough to help elite gamers achieve their objectives of competing in international competition. In fact, at times, there is sometimes only enough for the team or gamers to cover their own costs to pay for their costs to get to and from the event.

The amounts given, are also nearly nowhere the amounts required for any gamer to become a true professional. It is through being a true professional that gaming in South Africa will truly improve and become on par with gaming overseas.

In conclusion:

Instead of companies pouring monies into prize money, more good will be done if the companies take one step back and look at the needs of the gamers.

By not paying prize money, companies could identify to gamers and put them on a payroll and turn them into top professionals.

This is what gaming really needs.

This is what South Africa needs!


Think about it!

From the MSSA facebook page

I see that the MSSA has been busy of late.

Obviously the sponsorship that the MSSA receives from MWEB is an important factor to their level of activity.

It is interesting that the MWEB Protea Dota 2 team whitewashed the Mexican team on the 7^th of September 2013. South Africa’s strength as opposed to the Mexicans was totally phenomenal.

Of course there are the critics. They are not happy when South Africa loses, and they are not happy when South Africa wins. They are just never happy!

I spoke to Colin Webster (President of the MSSA) and he said to me. “The MSSA is very proud of the MWEB Dota 2 team. The team played well and had a good recovery after having been defeated by Romania.”

I too asked Webster if there was any truth to the Mexican team being weaker than what it should be. Webster replied by saying, “The Mexican team was selected by eSports Mexico. I cannot believe that any other federation would willingly field a weaker team than what they could unless they did it for other reasons that are only known to themselves.”

So that is it.... according to Webster the MWEB Protea Dota 2 Team won fair and square.

Of course there are the critics. They are not happy when South Africa loses, and they are not happy when South Africa wins. They are just never happy!
However, I have a bone to pick with the MSSA. I have not seen the results for the Online League of Legends Championships.

But it was a busy weekend. The same weekend saw the MSSA holding its 1^st Nkangala Regional Championships in Mpumalanga for COD 4. The winners were, not surprisingly, D5g of the All Stars Club.

Of course the highlight of the month for me was the fact that Veneration eSports gamer, Nathan 'StatiC' Anderson is selected to be the newest member of the MWEB Protea Team.

What a star!


And he is living the dream! Imagine to be sent across to play at DreamHack Bucharest. I would give my left b*** for that.

And to get Protea Colours to boot. What an honour!

Everyone here in Zola is rooting for you.

Go 'StatiC' go!



Amandla.

You've just gotta laugh!

I really enjoy writing blogs.... After all how else an you get your point across to so many different people and have the opportunity to 'shake the tree'.

But my article "DGL does not help gaming" really showed just how set in their ways so many gamers really are.

I initially intended to start a number of articles where I look at the major role-players.

My first article was to look at what I thought were some weaknesses in the DGL.

Immediately there was a ferocious and vitriolic response from people who ran to the defence of the DGL and immediately began accusing the national body, the MSSA of being behind the article.

I feel that I must state that the MSSA had nothing to do with the article whatsoever.

Indeed, a number of the readers also immediately began to draw comparisons between the association and TELKOM's gaming interest.

Maybe that is what is really needed as it seems as though few understand the roles that all the different parties play.

Unfortunately there were some pretty bad responses, which I have chosen to rise above, but there were several who were quite rude and some that were racist!

What is clear is that there are a lot of people out there who do not respect anybody's opinion other than their own.

Readers should note that everybody has the right to say what they want to, as long as it is legal, and others do have the right to be offended, but everybody should respect other people's points of views.

There will be more articles coming up on the state of eSports in South Africa, the total lack of transformation, and why the people should demand a more indigenous approach to be taken to the MSSA, and why someone like me should be elected in December as the new MSSA president.

eSports will save South Africa

We all know about the terrible disturbances on the mines in recent years, the shooting, the violence and the strikes.

The largest employer of South Africans is not what it used to be as many of the mines are now unprofitable and look like they will close.

But it is not all doom and gloom, as long as there is eSports.

Not as a distraction, but as a way to get the south African economy moving.

Just look at South Korea.

When people started playing games in South Korea there were many people who complained. There are still those in South Korea who link violence, obesity, and other social complaints to gaming.

Of course they are wrong!

Gaming has spawned at least one TV channel in South Korea as well as a multi trillion industry on producing games.

It is said that last year the sale of games earned South Korea 3 trillion Won.

That is enough to provide a benefit to any economy.

If only Trade and Industry would see the basic value of eSports to South Africa, then South Africa could also become an exporter of games and be able to provide a more employment.

DGL is not helping gaming

Since 2008, the DGL has been involved in gaming.

DGL is nothing more than a marketing arm of TELKOM.

Thus the overall ambition for TELKOM will always be different for what gamers really need.

Yes, the have 4,100 gamers in their leagues,

Yes, they give out prize money at the annual rAge,

Yes, gamers can play for free, and

Yes, they have all the glitz and glamour,,,,,

So, you ask, how can you claim that the DGL is not helping gaming?

The answer is a long one, so, let me begin.....

Number of gamers:

The number of 4,100 may seem to be a lot, but when you consider that over 60,000 people use the MWEB server on a monthly basis, you realise that it is not really that much, If the amount of 4,100 because of a difficult registration system and the requirement to pay fees, you could easily understand why it would be such a small fraction of the numbers that use the MWEB servers.

But, instead the DGL are offering FREE leagues. There is no payment of fees, there is an easy 'registration' system. From what I know, the registration system does not even require the approval of the parents in the case of minors.

Surely there should be a lot more gamers involved?

Not only that, but to what are the gamers registering?

The registration does not come with any rights. All it is is a registering to play in a championship, Since the DGL is owned entirely by TELKOM, no rights van be given to any gamer.

Prizes (in cash and kind):

The DGL always makes a big fuss about the prize money that they give. However it is never consistent and it never seems to have any greater vision or objective in mind.

For example, the amounts given are:

2013.......R40,000.00
2012.......R500,000.00
2011.......R160,000.00

Of course it must be remembered that the prizes are not just cash. Often the prizes take the form of hardware. The hardware is all very well, but ofter gamers already have better, and the hardware does not fill stomachs, pay the rent, or help a team get overseas.

Not only that, but a game that receives prizes in one year, may not receive prizes in the next.

But why is that?

The reason is simple. The prizes form part of the promotion of a game. There is no vision of pushing a title to improve the standard to get a team overseas - it seems to be all about sales!

But seriously, who has TELKOM helped to further gaming by getting them overseas.

Another point is, the prizes are all goods and well for the top teams, but what about the rest> How do the prizes encourage more gamers to become involved?

Simply put, it doesn't......

Conclusion:

From the above you will see that the DGL does very little for gamers.

There will no doubt be many who feel inflamed by this blog, but this is my opinion....

Read it, think about it, and you know that it is true....

Are sponsors limiting the growth of eSports?

To date clans cluster around sponsors like hounds around the master who throws scraps to the baying pack to placate the insatiable demand.

All the scraps do is temporarily satiate the hunger pangs which quickly return and leave no real respite.

So does the current sponsorship of eSports. Clans sell their brands for little and the sponsorship thus received does little to promote growth of gaming in terms of the number of gamers, standard of gaming or even the long-term financial sustainability of gaming.

As a result the sponsors too feel they are under siege. As the clans yelp around the sponsors for sponsorship, the sponsors are acutely aware of the transient nature of the clans. In business, any company that has not been in existence for at least ten years is considered to have a high rate of failing. Yet, only the clubs based at schools and universities have survived for more than ten years. Bravado is one of the few clans that is coming up to its tenth year of existence through the herculean efforts of 'bvd-cent'.

Sponsors are also more than aware that most, if not all, clans have no legal status and are often nothing more that individuals operating as Sole-traders. The opportunity for sponsors to thus claim any sponsorship as social development in order to win much needed BEE points is thus negated, and the sponsors themselves are aware that such sponsorships should be treated by those clans as income in the hands of the owners of such clans.

Also, many of the sponsors are aware that many gamers will in fact not buy their products. Gamers are without doubt a very discerning breed when it comes to technology and will favour picking-and-choosing what they need to build up their 'rigs' rather than just buying a finished product.

The types of sponsorships received thus do little for log-term development. While it is nice for a clan to secure hardware for their top clan, such a sponsorship does little to promote gaming and the profitability of the sponsor itself.

And therein lies the rub!

Unless sponsors can see that by sponsoring eSports that they will do more business, it remains more profitable for sponsors to sponsor football, rugby, and/or cricket.

Everybody in eSports thus has a duty to ensure that the sponsors can and will do better.

This does not mean that everybody must run out and quickly start purchasing computers, screens and the such.

Instead, every gamer must help to make it possible for prospective sponsors to substantially increase sales.

One of the ways to do this is to simply tap into NATIONAL LOTTERY FUNDING (NDLTF).

Of course there are criteria that have to be followed in order to do this, but it can be done!

Any club affiliated to the MSSA can apply for up to R200,000.00 per annum. The monies can be spent on equipment, kit, travel and entry fees, but only if:

a. the club is affiliated to the recognised national federation, and

b. has at least three year's audited financial statements.

Through participating in the NDLTF in this way, gamers will be able to unlock substantial amounts which will benefit sponsors and sponsored alike.

The money received will be spent on purchasing new equipment, which will increase the amount of sales and will further encourage companies to commit larger amounts to sponsoring both clans and events.

The growth can thus be exponential as more and more money will be spent in the computer industry.

Remember that approximately R400 million is earmarked every year for sport – it is foolish not to take advantage of this gilded invitation.

By following this course of action, gamers will have taken the initiative in controlling the destiny of eSports in South Africa to become the masters of their own fate.

Of great concern

I find it of great concern that the MSSA has stated that the Department of Sport and Recreation has announced the allocation of monies to the national federations.

What is this money going to be used for?

I look at gaming, and I see a picture that is not very representative, or at least, not representative enough!

Is the money going to be used for development, or just for gamers to excel?

And, when I talk of development, I mean all facets of development. I mean not just the gamers, but the administrators - I mean everybody....

It would be nice to know how much they have been allocated and how they are going to spend it....

GOING FOR BROKE

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), has decided to go large this year.

Already the MSSA is the only body that has sent teams to international competitions since 2005.

Not even DGL, which is a subsidiary of TELKOM, has bothered to send a single team anywhere. Obviously their profits are more important than developing gaming.

The MSSA, on the other hand is sending a player to DreamHack (Bucharest) for StarCraft, as well as a 12 person team to the IeSF.

When you consider the financial commitment to sending 13 people overseas, all you can say is: well done!

GG MSSA, gg!