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Image Credit: BLAST The world of esports business never slows down. Whether it’s tournament organizers expanding their presence into new markets or organizations inking deals with new sponsors to support their ambitions, partnerships are happening all over the world.
Compared to high-profile tournaments and blockbuster roster moves, business deals often fly under the radar, even though some can change the industry landscape. After a quiet start to September, the second week of the month was packed full of notable announcements and revelations.
Here, we take a closer look at five of the biggest business moves from across the industry and the ramifications they are likely to have on their respective ecosystems.
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the first-ever ESI business roundup! We’ll be bringing you the latest partnerships, sponsorships, and behind-the-scenes esports industry dealings all in one place every week.
Over the past few years, BLAST has expanded its global presence by hosting its Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 tournaments in several locations. On September 8th, 2026, the tournament organizer unveiled a partnership with the Mongolian Esports Association (MESA).
As part of the collaboration, BLAST will host a Tier 1 Counter-Strike tournament in the city of Ulaanbaatar in May 2027. The event will see 16 world-class teams competing for a share of a huge $1.25 million prize pool.
Thanks to the success of The MongolZ at BLAST’s Austin Major and victory at the 2025 Esports World Cup, Mongolia’s interest in Counter-Strike has skyrocketed. Alongside new players reaching the big stages, thousands of fans are attending watch parties to support their favorite players.
Greetings from Ulaanbaatar! Is there a better place to be right now? @EWC_EN pic.twitter.com/NcyW5OsZpB
For BLAST, the deal is further expansion into the Asian market. Last August, the tournament organiser joined forces with the Singapore Tourism Board in a similar deal, bringing Valve’s first-person shooter and MOBA titles to the country.
September 10th saw Riot Games make the headlines after a Bloomberg report revealed the makers of VALORANT and League of Legends are considering sponsorships with prediction market operators Polymarket and Kalshi.
Joe Hixson, Communications Lead at Riot Games, told Bloomberg that it is “evaluating with a focus on safeguarding competitive integrity, potential value for teams, impact on the fan experience, and alignment with broader ecosystem goals.” Notably, neither Kalshi nor Polymarket has commented on whether discussions have taken place.
Entering a deal with a prediction market could be the next logical step for Riot Games’ sponsorship expansion. In June 2025, Riot Games revealed it will allow betting sponsorships in its esports scenes for the first time, enabling teams to collaborate with bookmaker…