The 5th Global Esports Executive Summit to be held online!

 

The 5th Global Esports Executive Summit (GEES20) opens its doors on 29 November 2020 in Busan, South Korea. GEES20, to be held on November 29th and 30th, 2020, is the 5th annual installment of IESF’s Global Esports Executive Summit which aims to be a shining example for the COVID-19 era with its innovative online-offline format. GEES20 will start at 16:00 (KST) / 09:00 (SAST) on both days. 

GEES was started in 2015, and has been held on an annual basis. The conference has grown in stature and has gathered key esports stakeholders from around the globe to create an environment for discussion, education, and action towards esports development through conferences, exhibitions, academic lectures, and networking events.

As International Esports Federation (IESF) effectively faces the challenges posed by COVID-19 head on, plans have been made this year for delegates to participate and contribute both live at the venue, and online. Lectures and presentations will be broadcast live on IESF’s Youtube. Thus GEES20 is shaping up to be a truly unique and groundbreaking event. 

This year’s theme is Evolution and Expansion! 

The agenda consists of four sessions, each covering a different topic, and including the participation of  guests who will give keynote addresses and engage in panel discussions at the venue and online around the world. 

The GEES20 Sessions:

Nov. 29th

1. Esports and Traditional Sports Convergence

• Identifying Opportunities for Collaboration
• Developing Opportunities for Collaboration
• Bringing Our Communities Together

2. Diversity Marketing and Esports

• Marketing to Esports Diversity
• Expanding Markets and Brand Partners

Nov. 30th

1. Esports in the Time of COVID-19

• Recognizing Opportunities for Esports
• The Unique Position of Esports

2. New Frontiers in Esports Technology

• Display Technologies in Esports
• Exploring New Esports Technology

See the full list of speakers here!

The two-day event takes place at the Busan Esports Arena in Busan, South Korea, less than two weeks after the brand new, state-of-the-art facility’s official grand opening on November 18th. The Esports Arena was announced in March 2019, under the presidency of Colin Webster, and was made possible due to the investment from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the City of Busan. The Busan Esports Arena promises to be a boon for IESF events, and for Korean esports in general. It features a main arena, two sub-arenas and cutting edge facilities for players, staff, and fans.

Register for free at www.gees20.com for upcoming news!

GEES20 is supported by the City of Busan and the Busan IT Promotion Agency (BIPA).

NATIONAL PRIDE IS AT STAKE!

To ensure sustainable development in esports, International Esports Federation (IESF) together with the Korean Government (Ministry of Sports Culture and Tourism, MCST) consistently invest funds for the activation of the Esports World Championship.

For the upcoming 11th Esports World Championships to be held in Seoul - 2019, IESF and MCST have invested USD 250,000.00 into such World Championships, as well as in support of National Federations affiliated to IESF.

IESF’s 11th Esports World Championships is the largest international esports tournament where athletes represent participating nations. With IESF already having 56 member National Federations, and national pride on the stake, every participating athlete is fired-up to do their best. Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has been affiliated to IESF since 2009, and has participated at every single IESF World Championships in every game title in every division. Not only has MSSA participated in every single World Championship, but MSSA is the only national federation to have a at least one female as part of every one of its national teams since 2012 as such world championships.

Even though national pride is paramount, there is a prize pool. The total prize pool for IESF’s 11th Esports World Championships shall be USD 25,000.00 for all three events, including the overall champion which is awarded to the nation that wins overall. IESF’s 11th Esport World Championship Seoul 2019 shall be held from December 11th to 15th, featuring three (3) game titles, being; DOTA 2, Tekken 7 and eFootball 2020. 

For more information on IESF’s 11th Esports World Championship Seoul 2019, please visit https://www.ie-sf.org/tournaments/

Also read:

• Busan Metropolitan Government to cooperate actively in developing esports.
• GEES 2019 to be held in Busan, Korea, 29 to 31 August 2019
• ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO CONNECT WITH ESPORTS
• IESF announces DOTA 2 as First Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• 2019 Esports World Championship: December 11 to 15, 2019
• PES 2020 selected as an Official Title For 11TH ESPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
• MSSA celebrates its women who have earned Protea Colours.

Advantages of affiliation

Dr. Janine Brandt is one of over a hundred MSSA's Registered Players who has been thrust onto the international stage.

MSSA has had number of schools and other interested people enquiring about the process and benefits associated with registering with Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA). MSSA is the controlling body for Board games, Esports, and historical figure games (or Wargames).  

There are many advantages of being a MSSA affiliated club, such as:

1. Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
2. Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding
3. Being able to get assistance from your local government
4. Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers
5. Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.
6. Being able to put your club's news up on MSSA's blog page,
7. Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for regional, provincial, and national colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.

How to affiliate a club

To affiliate a club is quite an easy affair, all you have to do is follow these easy steps:

1. Gather the people together that want to form the club, and
2. Hold a meeting at which you agree to start a club, and at which meeting you agree to the Constitution as well as who are the elected office-bearers of the club (all such decisions must be by consensus), and
3. Write up the minutes of your inaugural meeting, and
4. Send in the club’s Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation to the MSSA.

Once the MSSA is in receipt of the Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation, the MSSA will go through the Constitution and (if acceptable) approve it at the next Management Board Meeting. Only once membership is approved, are fees due.

It is even easier to set up a school club. All a school has to do is have the Principal complete the Application for Affiliation form.

MSSA’s Constitution  

The Constitution forms the foundation of the MSSA. It guarantees members rights and governs the way that the MSSA operates. It can only be amended by a two-thirds majority at a Council Meeting. Please remember that Associations only have two (2) votes each, whereas member clubs have a representational vote, being: normal clubs: one vote per every five registered players, and school clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.

MSSA’s General Regulations  

The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected, development funding is distributed, and how MSSA is run by elected office-bearers on a day-to-day basis.

MSSA’s Discipline Specific Regulations  

The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. Some of the Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board Gaming, Card gaming, Esports, and Figure Gaming.

Fees for the 2019/2020 year 

The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.

The fees for the 2019/2020 gaming year (1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020) are:

Affiliation fees per club		R104.00 per annum
Registration fees:	Registered with MSSA Players who are members of school clubs	R110.00 per player R  10.00 per player

In order for a club to be a legal entity, a club must have a Constitution and must have multiplicity of members (3 or more members). A club's Constitution tells how the club operates and must, to a certain extent mirror MSSA’s Constitution. The Constitution  of a club must have certain clauses in order to ensure that there are the necessary bonds between the MSSA and the club. Therefore, MSSA insists that the clauses, “Objectives”, “Title and Legal Personality”, “Dispute Resolution”, and “Dissolution” remain unchanged. However, the club may amend the other clauses.   Once the applicant club is satisfied with their Constitution, the elected Chairperson must initial each page, and sign and date the last page and submit a copy to the MSSA.

Facebook Page | Twitter | e-mail: mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com 

Anyone who would like to obtain more documentation, as well as the necessary application forms to register or affiliate with the MSSA please contact MSSA directly.

Also read:

• Entry fees for Provincial and National Championships for the period 1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020.
• MSSA advises of its affiliation and registration fees for the 2019/2020 season.
• MSSA elections allow change and growth.
• Amanda Pakade is elected in for a 3 year term as MSSA President.
• Freedom of association.
• MSSA benefits all member clubs.
• MSSA's Elected Office-Bearers for 2019.
• Preventing dominance by any one club.

A meeting of minds.

Kim Young Man (KeSPA President) and Colin Webster (IESF President) have 40 years in esports between them.

Back in 1998, in the early days of esports, few saw the true potential of esports.

In Korea, Kim Young Man ran his first StarCraft championship, while in the same year Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) ran its first Provincial Championships for StarCraft at the Old Edwardian Society.

Kim Young Man helped found KesPA in 2000 and then went on to become the first president of Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), while Colin Webster served as president of MSSA up until 2013. It should be noted that MSSA was founded in 1985.

Now Kim Young Man is back, Kim has once again taken on the mantle of presiding over KeSPA.

At IESF's Global Esports Executive Summit (GEES), Kim and Colin met, and a friendship between  the two was immediately formed. Together, the two represent 40 years in esports, and both share the same vision for esports.

Janine wows GEES.

Five time Olympian, Charmaine Crooks seen together with Dr. Janine Brandt of South Africa.

International Esports Federation's Global Esports Executive Summit (GEES) was without a doubt the pinnacle of all esprts summits held.

While it is true that all the speakers present were extremely knowledgeable and erudite, none stood out quite so much as Dr. Janine Brandt.

Janine's presentation, "Esports: Mutually beneficial or equally detrimental" was well received by the entire audience. Associate Professor of St. John's University, was heard to enthuse that her presentation had, in fact, laid out the entire syllabus for study. There is no doubt that much of her presentation will be copied and used in future summits and conferences around the world.

Janine then participated in the panel discussion, "How esports can support physical and mental well being", and again demonstrated her vast insight and knowledge on the subject.

Also read: 

• “ESPORTS SUSTAINABILITY” – Speakers for GEES 2019

• Dr. Janine Brandt is off to Busan to address GEES.

• ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO CONNECT WITH ESPORTS

• Busan Metropolitan Government to cooperate actively in developing esports

• GEES 2019 to be held in Busan, Korea, 29 to 31 August 2019

• IESF announces DOTA 2 as First Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship

• 2019 Esports World Championship: December 11 to 15, 2019

• Excitement abounds as GEES draws nearer.

• Dr. Janine Brandt steps forward to promote gender equality in gaming.