SAP data and analytics tools are being used by customers within the esports industry to provide business intelligence that helps gamers and organizations make intelligent decisions.
The enterprise software giant first collaborated with a professional esports team in 2018, when they became the sponsor and official innovation partner of Team Liquid, a known successful esports team in the industry. The partnership has provided SAP with an opportunity to engage with millions of gaming enthusiasts in the online space, as well as explore an emerging market for SAP technologies.
Team Liquid is able to use SAP’s in-game data analytics solutions that are built on the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP). These also include the utilization of the SAP HANA Cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Furthermore, the technology collaboration provides Team Liquid with a competitive edge by ensuring it has all of the necessary data and analytics tools available to it in order to prepare for any competition that may be coming up.
SAP has made strong efforts toward establishing its reputation as a partner who is committed to providing the best technologies for the esports sector. As part of this, SAP Labs Berlin recently hosted its first SAP Community Esports tournament that attracted an overwhelming number of participants and onlookers alike. According to the German tech giant, plans are already in the works to take this event global as early as next year.
At the tournament, SAP offered spectators an experience that was a hybrid between the in-person event and live streaming. Half of the players were students, while the other half were employees of SAP. During the event, which was a mixed team competition, there were ample opportunities to network with others in attendance. Over 230 guests came to the venue with 2,500 viewers following the event on Twitch’s live streaming portal. On various social media platforms, the event reached over 420,000 people and was met with a lot of enthusiasm.
According to Martin Heinig, Managing Director of SAP Labs Berlin and Head of New Ventures and Technologies at SAP SE, this was the first time that SAP managed an esports event, which is one of the reasons why the experience was so exceptional. As the event’s executive sponsor, he further said in a statement:
“It excites me to see how we were able to bring together students and SAP employees to see them play against each other and contribute to their gaming success with SAP technologies, such as in-game data analytics. I’m very proud that SAP Labs Berlin hosted this special event.”
Shaping the World of Esports with SAP Data and Analytics Tools
Data analytics is an essential tool in the modern business world, and esports players are no exception. As data analytics becomes more prominent in competitive gaming, the need to have access to relevant information at a moment’s notice is crucial to success. To help esports players navigate this new phase of data analytics, SAP continuously develops its data insights and analytics tools that are specifically geared towards their industry.
Match data and statistics that have traditionally been difficult to share with audiences and commentators can now be easily shared in real-time, giving them greater insights into each player’s performance and helping them better understand certain decisions. This was demonstrated at the esports event hosted by SAP Labs Berlin, which showed how this particular technology works.
SAP Chief Technology Officer and Member of the Executive Board Juergen Mueller said that as a technology company, SAP uses its expert knowledge in data analytics and innovation in esports just like it does in any other field of business in order to assist players in interpreting the significance of the data that they have collected. Sharing more about his experience at the recently held esports tournament, he noted:
“It’s amazing! The arena is packed, you can sense the excitement, it’s noisy, and many people are having a lot of fun. SAP and esports are a great match. I’m happy to see the immense interest from our customers, partners, and students on-site.”
By hosting its own esports competition, SAP showed how it is not just a passive player in the industry but that it can play an important role in shaping the ecosystem as a whole. SAP Labs Berlin is consistently looking for ways to raise its profile among pro gamers in the German capital’s esports scene, which is one of the largest globally.
