To host, or not to host!

'Loda' and his team members at the Old Edwardian Society before attending the ACER African Continental Championships

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has a long tradition of hosting international events.

Of all the events hosted by MSSA, MSSA has done South Africa proud in each and every event.

The events hosted by MSsA are:

• 2013 - Silviu  'NightEnd' Lazar's visit to South Africa - Johannesburg
• 2013 - IWF World Championships - Pretoria
• 2012 - IWF World Championships - Durban
• 2008 - ACER African Continental Championships - Johannesburg
• 2007 - IWF World Championships - Port Elizabeth
• 2002 - IWF World Championships - Durban
• 1999 - IWF World Championships - Cape Town
• 1997 - IWF World Championships - Johannesburg

Anyone involved in getting teams overseas who has been around for a long time will understand how government works and the impact that international events have on increasing membership as well as the burden that such an event puts on the organizers. Often those involved in running an international event exhibit all the signs of burn-out after the event and are sometimes physically ill from the stress and work-load.

The people who do the work are often volunteers who do both their normal jobs as well as other MSSA activities.

Thus to effectively host an event, there needs to be a local team that is going to do most of the work as well as get approval from the Ministry of Sport as well as to get the necessary buy-in from the municipality and the provincial government and/or the provincial sports council.

Thus, with IESF releasing its bidding documents to all member federations, the question has once  again been raised, does South Africa want to host the World Championships for esports?

If MSSA took the decision to put in a bid to host the event, there would also have to be the buy-in from corporate South Africa. Without the buy-in of corporate South Africa, few would have the resources to effectively host a top-of-the-line championships.

Certainly it would be nice to welcome all those foreign players to South Africa, but to do so, there needs to also be a committed local organizing committee prepared to meet all of government's requirements and to meet all the criteria as set down in the bid document.

IESF announces that members may start bidding for the 11th World Championships.

MSSA, South Africa's largest membership based organisation for gaming, has just been informed that IESF has issued all its member federations with the “Official Host Bidding Announcement”  for the 11th e-Sports World Championships 2019.

 

The attachment of the email includes the following documents:

-  Official Announcement of Host Bidding

-  Host City Bidding Application Form

-  Event Organization Agreement Form

-  IESF Event Manual

-  IESF Doping Control Guidebook

-  IESF Introduction

-  Esports World Championship Introduction

 

The International Esports Federation (IESF) is the only non-profit esports organisation that runs esports competitions based on nationality.

IESF hosts an annual World Championships.

Previous World Championships were held in the following cities:

Year	Location
2018	Kaohsuing City – Chinese Taipei
2017	Busan, South Korea
2016	Jakarta, Indonesia
2015	Seoul, South Korea
2014	Baku, Azerbaijan
2013	Bucharest, Romania
2012	Cheonan, South Korea
2011	Andong, South Korea
2010	Daegu, South Korea
2009	Taebaek, South Korea

Thus, the host city bidding process is currently up on running for the 11^th IESF e-Sports World Championship, which will be held in 2019. 

All bids have to be submitted on or before 30th September 2018.

IeSF takes deciding on the host seriously and due process is always followed.

9th IeSF e-Sports World Championship 2017 - Host City Bidding Opportunity

IeSF's 8th World Championships - Jakarta

The International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) has once again announced the host city bidding opportunity for 9^th IeSF e-Sports World Championship, the sole e-Sports competition based on nationality.

IeSF hosts an annual World Championships. The host city for the 2016edition of such World Championships was Jakarta, Indonesia.

Thus, the host city bidding process is currently up on running for the 9^th IeSF e-Sports World Championship, which will be held in 2017. There is a great deal of excitement as three candidates have already expressed the desire to become the next host for the World Championship.

All bids have to be submitted on or before 30^th of December 2016.

IeSF takes deciding on the host seriously and due process is always followed.

In order to make the decision for the host city, IeSF supplies applicants with a “Host City Bidding Application Form” with a number of documents attached, including:

• Official Announcement for Host Bidding,
• IeSF Event Manual,
• IeSF Introduction, and
• IeSF Doping Control Guidebook.

National Federations, willing to host the event, are required to return the completed application forms, which include:

• Letter of Intent and
• Letter of Guarantee.

Detailed information such as accommodation, dining, transportation, venue, medical care, broadcasting, official titles and security needs also be included in the documentation.

IeSF first held its e-Sports World Championship in 2009 in Taebaek, Korea, where over 150 participants from 20 nations competed. The event was held in Korea from 2009 until 2013 when it was held in Bucharest, Romania.

The event in Bucharest demonstrated clearly that IeSF was more than competent in holding such World Championships anywhere in the world. Bucharest too saw the event grow to more than 500 participants from 51 nations.

After Bucharest, the World Championships were more than ably hosted by Baku - Azerbaijan, Seoul - Korea, and Jakarta - Indonesia.

Bidding for the 8th e-Sports World Championship 2016

MWEB Protea eSports Team watching Barry West playing Hearthstone in Baku, Azerbijan

There is no doubt that a lot of work goes into hosting and organising a major eSports event. In that way, eSports proves that it is no different from other sports in terms of preparation, logistics and effort.

To the outsider it looks so easy. The event is there, the teams arrive, the games are played.

However, the events can also be monumental 'stuff-ups' where venues are double-booked, equipment does not arrive on time, there is not enough ventilation, and so forth.

MSSA knows just how difficult it is to host a big event, In fact MSSA has already hosted four World championships and has had to deal with many last-minute issues.

MSSA too has sent a team to every one of the IeSF's championships.

MSSA can only but applaud all the hosts up to date for putting on seemingly seamless events. However, events are like ducks swimming on a pond. It all looks peaceful, but under the water those webbed feet are churning away.

The events that IeSF have held to date are:

Year	Title	Location
2009	IeSF Challenge	Taebaek, South Korea
2010	IeSF Grand Final	Daegu, South Korea
2011	3rd IeSF World Championship	Andong, South Korea
2012	4th IeSF World Championship	Cheonan, South Korea
2013	5th IeSF World Championship	Bucharest, Romania
2014	6th e-Sports World Championship	Baku, Azerbaijan
2015	7th e-Sports World Championship	Seoul, South Korea

However, it should be noted that any/all members of IeSF are able to bid for “8^th e-Sports World Championship 2016”.

But to do so, the National Federation has to comply with the following documents:

1.      Host City Bidding Application Form

2.      Letter of Intent:

3.      Letter of Guarantee: 

4.      Event Organization Agreement as signed by proper authority (or may contact IeSF for negotiating conditions before signing it).

However, the date for the submissions is fast running out as all the bids will be considered by IeSF at its Annual General Meeting.

It's sad, but when you consider the requirements, South Africa is just not capable of hosting an event of this nature.