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The final three teams for the upcoming Gfinity Elite Series esports competition have been announced – with the Brisbane Deceptors, Perth Ground Zero and Sydney Roar set to join the Melbourne Avant, Melbourne Order and Sydney Chiefs in the inaugural season starting on Saturday, June 2.
Ground Zero are set to represent all of Western Australia, and, like the Chiefs, Order and Avant, will be operated by existing esports club Ground Zero. The Deceptors and Roar, however, will be run by the league itself.
The Elite Series is Australia’s first city-based esports competition, and play will commence at the newly-built dedicated esports venue at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park.
Gfinity Australia CEO Dominic Redmond – formerly of the Big Bash League’s Sydney Sixers – said the competition’s aim was to be a truly national one for Australian esports fans.
“Sydney and Melbourne are arguably the most prominent sporting cities in Australia, but we know how fervent Western Australians and Queenslanders are when it comes to their local sporting clubs,” he said.
“We’re proud to offer Perth and Brisbane based fans their own clubs to support come June.”
With questions sure to arise as to how Brisbane and the Sydney Roar will be able to sustain themselves against existing esports teams, Redmond was quick to cite the success of the A-League’s Western Sydney Wanderers, who became one of the biggest names in the Australian sporting scene in less than two years despite being wholly owned by the FFA.
Beau Melia, CEO of Ground Zero gaming, said he and his team were excited to be a part of the competition.
“We’re out to prove Western Australia can take the mantle of best club and best fans and dominate the Sydney and Melbourne clubs,” he said.
Announced late last year, the Gfinity Elite Series was preceded by the Challenger Series, a competition that allowed ordinary gamers to register for CS:GO, Street Fighter V or Rocket League competition. The best players were then eligible to be drafted by one of the six professional teams.
In the UK, where the Elite Series originally began, half of the players who made it to the first season’s Rocket League grand final were Challenger Series draftees.
Speaking of this unprecedented pathway to professionalism, Redmond said “creating opportunities for new talent to realise their potential is a key part of all sport.”
“I’ve been fortunate to be a part of that experience within cricket for a long time. Esports is something special, and we’ve been able to work with the existing community to help build a framework and new franchises where promising players from all genders and walks of life have a pathway to play professionally,” he added.
Note: Gfinity Australia is a joint venture with HT&E Events. The Roar is published by Conversant Media, which is owned by HT&E.
As you can probably tell, The Roar will be partnered in some way with the Sydney Roar esports team. There will be more details on that to follow.