Asmongold has revealed why he rejected an offer from Esports World Cup organizers to hold a sponsored stream for the event, with fans dubbing his reason as “so on-brand.”
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel on August 26, the content creator started, “There were a lot of streamers that were sponsored to watch this event,” adding “I actually got an opportunity to sponsor and watch the event myself.”
“I didn’t take it. I want everybody to know that it was not for a moral reason,” Asmon continued, admitting, “I just didn’t feel like it. I don’t want anybody to think I’m better than this or I’m going to talk down about this. No, I just didn’t do it.”
An annual fixture, the inaugural Esports World Cup took place in Saudi Arabia over six weeks, with Team Falcons officially crowned the first Club Champion on August 26, taking home $7 million in prize money. Second and third place were awarded $4 million and $2 million respectively.
Due to the nation’s human rights record and stance on LGBT rights, many figureheads in the industry refused involvement. In July, EWC Foundation CEO, Ralf Reichert, told the BBC that “Everyone was welcome” to the event.
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When asked by one viewer how much EWC had offered him to hold a sponsored stream, Asmon sidestepped the question. “Let’s go ahead and watch the clip,” he deflected.
After being repeatedly pressed for an answer, he relented, “If you look at my viewership, especially on YouTube, it’s a big number. A really, really big number. Anyway, let’s go ahead and watch this.”
The Esports World Cup will return to Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, in 2025 for the tournament’s second year. For a complete breakdown of the 2024 EWC, including fixtures, winners, and prize pools, check out our dedicated hub.