On their first appearance in eSerie A TIM, the Udinese eSports team came so close to reaching the final. They came home in fourth place, only beaten by Benevento, Genoa and Cagliari. Udinese eSports D-Link are also taking to the pitch once again this year as three players battle it out against
other teams for the eSerie A TIM 2021/22 final.
It will be Andrea “Mila898” Milanese’s first season playing eSports and he was very enthusiastic about the prospect: “I’m so happy to have started on this eSerie A TIM journey. It’s a great achievement for me to have moved from the eAcademy of Udinese eSports to now take part on the biggest stage. I can’t wait to get started. The level has increased so much compared to last year, but I know what I can do and that I can win the tournament.”
Riccardo “Dastardly27” Nordio is another member of the team and received the best player award in the first instalment of the competition. “I can’t wait to play. We are just as good as anyone else and I will give it my all to go all the way.”
He wasn’t alone in his excitement, as Davide “DadexSound” De Biasio expressed a similar sentiment: “I am very happy to take part in this edition of eSerieA TIM. I hope to do well and above all, to win! Forza Udinese!"
In the first weekend, Udinese eSports faced Sampdoria, Torino, Hellas Verona and Milan, finishing in fourth. Now the team are fighting for their place in the Final Eight.
Over the year, various events are organised on a weekly basis for the professional players. As well as daily training sessions and some competitions held at the D-Link Gaming House at Dacia Arena, there are online tournaments to prepare for eSerieA TIM. In fact, many games and interviews are broadcast live on the on the official Udinese eSports Twitch channel and on the team's official Instagram profile.
Players from other teams and eAcademies are also involved on Twitch. By taking part in fortnightly tournaments, eAcademy players now have the chance to play in a three-way final.
The eEsports Arena programme is dedicated to the world of eSports and the Udinese team. As well as Twitch, it’s back on Udinese TV every Friday, which you can find on channel 12 of Friuli Venezia Giulia digital TV, or online at udinesetv.it.
Stefano Nordio, Vice President of D-Link Southern Europe, stated, “After supporting the Udinese eSports Team in the eSerie A TIM 2021, we’re delighted to be able to confirm our partnership and place as the team’s main sponsor for 2022 as well. Being alongside and supporting a team of promising youngsters in the world of gaming and eSports, guiding them with a level of awareness through the world of entertainment and connectivity is something to be proud of and this is an opportunity for D-Link to grow in a sector that is constantly expanding.”
Giacomo Rocchi, Sales and Marketing Director of BenQ Italy, said, “We’re proud of the results that Udinese have been able to achieve thanks to the BenQ MOBIUZ monitors and this is why we’ve confirmed our partnership for a second year in a row. I’d add that the experience on the pitch of professional and motivated Udinese players is a source of inspiration and enrichment in order to perfect our range. The BenQ MOBIUZ EX line offers visual quality, brilliant sound definition, fast response speed and a level of immersion in the game that currently has no comparison elsewhere.”
Andrea Rovatti, Marketing Director of JM Smart – Lowell, explained, “We’re thrilled that JM Smart and Udinese have announced the renewal of our partnership for the 2022 eSports season! We wish our players all the best for them to achieve the top results in a new and exciting gaming season. They’ll have the latest smartwatches on their wrists once again, in the hope that they can boost performances and bring them the best of luck in every match, leading to success!”
“Expectations are on the up in the second season,” admitted Gianluca Pizzamiglio, Udinese Calcio’s Head of Marketing. “We’re proud that we’ve involved over 500 gamers in the eAcademy project, having organised some huge FIFA tournaments at Dacia Arena with over 300 participants and major partners that support the growth of this project. Our goal is to create an active community and stage eSports events at Dacia Arena.”