Azubu was founded in 2012 when Lars Windhorst noticed that children were using live streaming services to watch others play video games, with the biggest game being League of Legends. Windhorst claimed "it was exotic" to witness people watch others play video games. Over a four-year span, Sapinda Group, the firm that Windhorst owned, invested $40 million USD into Azubu.
Throughout much of 2016, several employees left the company, leaving Sapinda Group to fund Azubu less and less. Windhorst eventually admitted that he had funded Azubu inefficiently and should have provided more sufficient funding. Sapinda Group would "drip-feed" funds to Azubu to accelerate growth.[2][3]
In April 2016 Azubu revealed that they had been developing a better video player and a revenue network that they released for their website.[4] The same year, Esportspedia, owned by Azubu, moved to EsportsWikis,[5] although the old website is still functional.
Closure
In January 2017, Azubu revealed that they were no longer able to stream League of Legends due to a $2 million price hike in streaming rights.[6] The same month, Azubu announced that they had acquired and were working on develop a new eSports platform.[7][8][9]
On May 9, 2017, Hitbox shut down, with the new release of the Azubu team and the Hitbox team's new platform Smashcast.
Azubu allegedly haven't paid out the prizes for several esports events.[10] The current CEO, Mike McGarvey, explained the reason as "Azubu’s previous management team made commitments to broadcasters and events far beyond the company’s means".[11]
As for the unpaid tournament winnings, McGarvey said, “There are a couple, the CS:GO is certainly one of them, that we’ve not yet been able to find a settlement on. That is in a legal situation right now. Pretty much all the others we’ve been able to work with people or we’re in the process.” When asked for a timeline on paying out the debts owed to the CS:GO World Championship winners and the Dota 2 Game On invitational winners, McGarvey responded, “I don’t have specific timing other than we are working toward resolving these issues.”[11]
References
^Azubu. "Azubu Announces Historical Partnership with Fourteen Top Korean eSports Teams". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^"Nontraditional funding may have nearly killed e-sports video firm". The ViewPoint. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^"Azubu TV Secures $34 Million In Equity Funding For eSports-CINEMABLEND". CINEMABLEND. 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^Procter, Richard. "Azubu Releases New Video Player, Revenue Stream". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^. Dexerto. Archived from the original on 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^"Report: Azubu couldn't afford $3 million 2016 League of Legends streaming rights, up from $1 million". 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^"Azubu acquires Europe's Hitbox to expand global esports broadcasts". VentureBeat. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^"Azubu plans new eSports streaming platform following Hitbox acquisition". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^. MCV Pacific. Archived from the original on 2017-02-12. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
^"TwitLonger — when you talk too much for Twitter".
^ ab"Last Year's CS:GO World Champions Still Haven't Been Paid Their Prize Money". Kotaku Compete. 2017-07-19. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
January 31, 2023
azubu, live, streaming, esports, website, 2017, shut, down, succeeded, smashcast, type, sitegame, streamingavailable, inenglish, portuguese, chinese, taiwanesedissolvedmay, 2017, years, 2017, succeeded, smashcastsuccessor, smashcastsubsidiarieshitboxurlhttp, a. Azubu was a live streaming esports website In May 2017 it shut down and was succeeded by Smashcast AzubuType of siteGame StreamingAvailable inEnglish Portuguese Chinese TaiwaneseDissolvedMay 2017 5 years ago 2017 05 succeeded by SmashcastSuccessor s SmashcastSubsidiariesHitboxURLhttp www azubu tv CommercialYesRegistrationOptionalLaunched2012 11 years ago 2012 Current statusDefunctHistory EditAzubu was founded in 2012 when Lars Windhorst noticed that children were using live streaming services to watch others play video games with the biggest game being League of Legends Windhorst claimed it was exotic to witness people watch others play video games Over a four year span Sapinda Group the firm that Windhorst owned invested 40 million USD into Azubu In 2014 Azubu announced partnered with fourteen League of Legends streamers including Faker of SKT T1 K and MadLife of CJ Entus Frost 1 Throughout much of 2016 several employees left the company leaving Sapinda Group to fund Azubu less and less Windhorst eventually admitted that he had funded Azubu inefficiently and should have provided more sufficient funding Sapinda Group would drip feed funds to Azubu to accelerate growth 2 3 In April 2016 Azubu revealed that they had been developing a better video player and a revenue network that they released for their website 4 The same year Esportspedia owned by Azubu moved to EsportsWikis 5 although the old website is still functional Closure EditIn January 2017 Azubu revealed that they were no longer able to stream League of Legends due to a 2 million price hike in streaming rights 6 The same month Azubu announced that they had acquired and were working on develop a new eSports platform 7 8 9 On May 9 2017 Hitbox shut down with the new release of the Azubu team and the Hitbox team s new platform Smashcast Azubu allegedly haven t paid out the prizes for several esports events 10 The current CEO Mike McGarvey explained the reason as Azubu s previous management team made commitments to broadcasters and events far beyond the company s means 11 As for the unpaid tournament winnings McGarvey said There are a couple the CS GO is certainly one of them that we ve not yet been able to find a settlement on That is in a legal situation right now Pretty much all the others we ve been able to work with people or we re in the process When asked for a timeline on paying out the debts owed to the CS GO World Championship winners and the Dota 2 Game On invitational winners McGarvey responded I don t have specific timing other than we are working toward resolving these issues 11 References Edit Azubu Azubu Announces Historical Partnership with Fourteen Top Korean eSports Teams www prnewswire com Retrieved 2017 02 11 Nontraditional funding may have nearly killed e sports video firm The ViewPoint Retrieved 2017 02 11 Azubu TV Secures 34 Million In Equity Funding For eSports CINEMABLEND CINEMABLEND 2014 03 26 Retrieved 2017 02 11 Procter Richard Azubu Releases New Video Player Revenue Stream Forbes Retrieved 2017 02 11 Esportspedia Relaunches Under New Name Esports News amp Videos Dexerto Dexerto Archived from the original on 2016 09 20 Retrieved 2017 02 11 Report Azubu couldn t afford 3 million 2016 League of Legends streaming rights up from 1 million 2017 01 09 Retrieved 2017 02 11 Azubu acquires Europe s Hitbox to expand global esports broadcasts VentureBeat 10 January 2017 Retrieved 2017 02 11 Azubu plans new eSports streaming platform following Hitbox acquisition GamesIndustry biz Retrieved 2017 02 11 Azubu acquires rival platform Hitbox MCV Pacific Archived from the original on 2017 02 12 Retrieved 2017 02 11 TwitLonger when you talk too much for Twitter a b Last Year s CS GO World Champions Still Haven t Been Paid Their Prize Money Kotaku Compete 2017 07 19 Retrieved 2017 07 20 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Azubu amp oldid 1132947084, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
