Online tournament platform Challengermode is teaming up with the women’s esports community Female Legends to launch a new esports league for women. The Women Esports League (WEL) will feature League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as their games. The initiative looks to create a better and safer gaming environment for women.
Making esports available to everyone
The European league’s goal is to create a go-to place where women can better develop their passion for esports, free from issues like hatred and harassment. Before the league officially starts in early 2019, teams will go through pre-qualifiers for division placements. While the competition starts off with a rather small prize pool of €5,000, the plan is to gradually increase the pool as the league grows.
“Challengerermode’s main focus is to make esports available to everyone,” says Challengermode Head of Sales and Partnership Johan Bengtsson. “We do this through various league systems, for example national leagues, leagues for schools and more. Creating the conditions for young women to play, socialize and compete in a hate-free and equal environment is a natural step for us.”
Following its agenda to create a more inclusive industry, Female Legends is looking to utilize Challengermode’s professional platform to give women a better opportunity for skill development.
Olivia Mattsson, responsible for tournaments at Female Legends, commented:
“We are constantly working to make esports more inclusive and equal. Just as with our esports community, we have the same goal for this league, that we in the future see no need for it to exist. We want everyone to be able to compete together on equal terms, without harassment and hate.”
Female Legends’ mission for women in esports
The recent launch of the WEL follows other tournaments aimed at bettering women’s place in esports. Through various community competitions in League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, and Hearthstone, Female Legends want esports to become more inclusive, welcoming everyone to participate in mixed leagues and tournaments.
Such initiatives could not only help tackle issues like harassment but also shed light on other problems, like the existing pay gap in professional esports, for example. With esports’ demographics already showing women are a big part of the fanbase, continuous initiatives like this evolve the industry in a progressive direction.
