A collection of major esports teams based in the United Kingdom are set to announce their alliance as part of a not-for-profit committee in the coming days, with the goal of “progressing and growing the UK esports industry.”
Prominent names in UK esports such as EXCEL, Fnatic, Call of Duty League franchise London Royal Ravens, and Overwatch League franchise London Spitfire are joining forces under the committee in an attempt to grow esports in the nation.
As per the UK Esports Team Committee’s official website, which is live publicly ahead of any official announcement, seven teams have come together alongside the support of the British Esports Association. The not-for-profit association, which positions itself as a national body for esports, will not consider the committee a “formal sub-committee” to allow it to “operate independently.”
The union of teams aims to provide a collective voice for UK esports to represent their views and interests to the wider industry and local government.
Their website also claims that they will establish standards that need to be met for other UK organizations to be considered a “professional esports team.”
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The other members of the UK Esports Team Committee are Endpoint, MnM Gaming, and Vexed Gaming. Of note, there’s no mention of the nation’s other prominent organization, Guild, who are backed by former footballer David Beckham and based in London, England.
The guidelines that teams in the committee have put forth for others that wish to join them include having a brand history of at least three years, a “respectable” track record in UK esports competitions, contractual commitments to staff and players, and senior staff with “good reputational history.”
In 2008, the United Kingdom eSports Association was formed in hopes of becoming a governing body of competitive gaming in the nation. Major UK teams such as Reason Gaming, Team Infused, Fnatic, and Dignitas were involved in the initiative.
The association signed for bankruptcy in December 2009 and allegedly owed a significant amount of teams and players money.