>>1916019
>>1916022
how fucking soft can you be, they ARE paid actors. it's the truth
>The campaign requires organisations entering the campaign to commit to a minimum of twenty fans to be sent to the EWC. ... The fans are all vetted and sourced independently by the organisations and the details of the fans are then sent to the Esports World Cup Foundation management team who arrange for the necessary paperwork, hotels and shuttles to and from the airport.
>Esports organisations have been vocal about the Superfan “giveaway” on their social media accounts. Many of them are framing it as an “all expenses paid” promotion without mentioning that they themselves are being financially rewarded for the fans attendance. It is this publication’s understanding that all the expenses for fans travel are underwritten by the Esports World Cup Foundation and not the organisations.
>The fans that sign up are supposed to be given special access wristbands for priority seating during the tournament, travel to and from the venue on each of the tournament days and travel to and from the airport on their arrival and departure. Ultimately though, the purpose of the campaign seems to be to try and shore up the crowd for the event that appeared to be underwhelming based on footage from the previous event.
>“There has been some anxiety about crowd size” one source “especially as the audience is very heavily from Saudi. They came up with a reward scheme for each of the orgs and marketed it as rewarding their “superfans.” Each org had to find and deliver at least twenty in order to qualify but the maximum number for each is sixty, with the reward increasing for each milestone.”
>Another source added that the incentive was “absolutely about expanding and diversifying the crowd for optics” adding that “four hundred Saudi men in traditional dress doesn’t give the sense you’re watching a ‘World Cup.’” ...footage from the accompanying documentary series precipitated the desire for bigger crowds.