Esports Trade Association Announces EsportsNext 2026

Premier Esports Business Conference Heads to Fort Worth April 29-30

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Esports Trade Association (ESTA) today announced EsportsNext 2026 will take place April 29-30, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas under the theme "Rival the Best, Rule the Rest." The premier US B2B esports conference takes place alongside the BLAST Premier Rivals tournament, creating a convergence of business strategy and world class competition.

EsportsNext 2026 brings together senior executives, strategic investors, and industry decision-makers for cutting-edge keynotes and panels delivering essential insights into competitive market positioning. The strategic alignment with BLAST Premier Rivals, taking place May 1-3, creates a unique opportunity for business leaders to witness competitive play at the highest level in esports.

"We've positioned EsportsNext 2026 to deliver maximum value by bringing high-level discourse alongside an S-tier Counter-Strike tournament," said Erik Anderson, Chairman of ESTA and President of FaZe Esports. "We know business leaders that make their way to Fort Worth will benefit immensely from experiencing both events.

As the esports industry's premier US B2B conference, EsportsNext catalyzes the partnerships and ideas that drive continuous growth. The event brings together decision-makers from leading brands, emerging technologies, and key stakeholders across the esports ecosystem, creating opportunities for strategic business development.

"EsportsNext has consistently been the place where industry-defining partnerships are formed," said Megan Van Petten, Executive Director of ESTA. "By bringing together the complete ecosystem of brands, tech innovators, and key decision-makers in Fort Worth during a world-class championship, we're creating an environment where the next chapter of esports business excellence will be written."

The partnership with BLAST offers attendees the unique opportunity to apply their strategic insights immediately. Eight elite teams will compete for $1 million in prize money and team participation funds, demonstrating the same competitive excellence that drives successful business strategy.

"BLAST Premier Rivals represents the pinnacle of competitive gaming, and having EsportsNext alongside our championship creates incredible synergy," said Russell Schneider, VP, Head of Brand Partnerships at BLAST. "BLAST and esports continue to grow year over year and we’re proud to return to Fort Worth and reshowcase the power of esports. The business leaders attending EsportsNext understand what it takes to compete at the highest level - they'll appreciate seeing those same principles demonstrated by the world's best teams at Dickies Arena"

Conference programming will emphasize competitive intelligence and strategic positioning, with specialized tracks covering next-generation leadership development, women in esports initiatives, and advanced partnership structuring. Attendees will have exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Dickies Arena and participate in the ESTA Industry Awards ceremony.

With sponsorship opportunities available, this event offers a unique platform for brands to showcase their products and services alongside championship-level competition. Don't miss the chance to be part of this industry-defining convergence of business strategy and competitive excellence.
Learn more and register at esportsta.org/esportsnext. For more information on BLAST Premier Rivals, visit BLAST.tv.

About ESTA
The Esports Trade Association (ESTA) is committed to elevating and safeguarding the interests of the esports community. By offering innovative professional development programs, extensive networking opportunities, key industry insights, and indispensable resources, ESTA empowers its members to thrive. With a focus on enhancing business acumen and ensuring the esports industry's continuous growth, ESTA works to expand the ecosystem through increased participation, sponsorship opportunities, and introducing new products and services. The association also spearheads pivotal industry research and organizes events to further these goals. Discover the full scope of ESTA's mission at www.esportsta.org.

About BLAST
BLAST is a global competitive entertainment company with a mission to bring mega entertainment to the world, taking esports, gaming and other new competitive formats to the next level.

BLAST is famous for pioneering the esports category through stunning high production quality, big creative ideas and game changing fan-first moments. Bringing together the biggest teams and brightest superstars to fight it out for glory and big-money-multi-million-dollar prize pools in the world’s biggest arenas from London and Singapore to Austin and Rio.

BLAST has offices in Copenhagen (HQ), London, Berlin and soon to be Mumbai and New York City. The company is currently working with world-leading game publishers Epic Games, Valve, KRAFTON and Ubisoft to produce, market and deliver esports for popular titles Rocket League, Fortnite, Rainbow Six, PUBG, Dota2 and Counter-Strike 2.

Megan VanPetten
Esports Trade Association
+1 708-680-7133
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