This article was originally published on June 4th, 2020.
Here is this week's dose of “5-Point Friday”. A weekly round-up of the sports news and stories that I find most interesting and enjoyable.
eSport news I am following -
eSports startup Espo has announced pre-registration for its new digital staking platform that lets eSports fans financially support rising competitive gamers. In return for supporting gamers, fans are promised shares in a gamer’s future prize winnings and access to exclusive perks offered by Espo.
“Our solution will enable fans to play a fundamental role in supporting their favorite teams and players in a collaborative and meaningful way that is intended to have lasting and rewarding benefits for all parties. We have already received letters of intent from leading esports teams and organizations that have expressed interest to work with Espo and feature on the platform,” Henry James, Espo’s founder, and CEO said in a press release.
What I've been listening to -
Ramble Meets... James Montague (@JamesPiotr) podcast interview. Montague to talk about his unique experiences while writing his book '1312: Among the Ultras'. Which delves deep into the underground world of modern European soccer ultras.
COVID-19 tech news I am interested in -
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv has installed a special tunnel to spray players with a disinfectant in the battle against coronavirus.
The tunnel at the venue, home to Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv, senses people entering, which starts a water pump. Nozzles then automatically open for 15 seconds, dispensing a sanitizing mist.
Cause I am supporting -
On May 25, an African American man named George Floyd was killed in the US city of Minneapolis. Footage showed police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes, while Floyd repeated ‘I can’t breathe’.
Floyd’s violent death at the hands of the police triggered protests, first in Minneapolis and then in more than 200 American cities. Furthermore, American sports stars have been joined by others around the world on social media, and in the case of Bundesliga soccer players Jadon Sancho (@Sanchooo10), Weston McKennie (@WMckennie), and Marcus Thuram (@MarcusThuram) on the pitch in demanding meaningful progress towards racial equality.
In a small but unprecedented bit of cooperation, Adidas shared social media posts from their arch-rival sportswear brand Nike.
What I've been watching -
Along with the rest of the world's sports fans I have been watching ESPN's The Last Dance. The docuseries focuses on the Chicago Bull's 1997-98 season and Michael Jordan's last year.
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Jonathan