The ESI Podcast: Addressing the visa problem in esports

 We’re delighted to release the fourth and final episode of the ESI Podcast, a four-part series in partnership with Mishcon de Reya.

You can click the following links to listen to the first three podcasts where we looked at: the opportunity at the intersection between gambling and esports, working with publishers as a tournament organiser and teams vs players – developing image rights and branding.

Episode four again features three industry-leading guests who this time around are discussing the ongoing issues that esports teams and players face when obtaining visas.

The podcast lineup is as follows:

• Ollie Ring, Head of Business Development & Media – Esports Insider (host)
• Clement Murphy, Marketing Manager – FACEIT
• Kieran Holmes-Darby, Co-Founder & Managing Director – Excel
• Maria Patsalos, Partner – Mischon de Reya
• Produced by Mark Mantle, Head of Events – Esports Insider
  

As esports has grown, getting the best players, coaches and analysts from around the world is not the most straightforward process. Especially in the United Kingdom, where esports players are not recognised as professional athletes when applying for visas – but rather entertainers.

SEE ALSO: The hindering blemish of work visas in esports

For tournament organisers, working with the Home Office and helping teams and players get visas is pretty full on. The issues are so tough in fact that tournament organisers may consider hosting an event abroad due to anticipated visa problems preventing many a team from competing in the UK. While the likes of the United States has introduced a much more streamlined visa process and has provided athlete visas, the UK is still lagging behind.

Our podcast brings three of the brightest minds in the esports world to discuss how to deal with visas, how it can impact a team or tournament, and how the landscape’s set to change and improve moving forward.