Popular porn destination YouPorn has an eSports team. Team YP, as they’re known, appeared in a burst of promotional confetti, then promptly disappeared for months. Later, however, they returned with new teams focused on new games. Now that, too, is in jeopardy.
The ESL recently dropped the hammer on Team YP and its many heads, which focus on games like Mortal Kombat X, Street Fighter V, Counter-Strike and StarCraft II. Despite the fact that the team does not directly mention or otherwise peddle lewd imagery of people doinking, having a roll in the hay or Doing The Deed (a sex position that involves signing the deed to a new home to solidify a couple’s commitment to each another and then having sex with the deed), ESL decided they go too far. Team YP even offered to change their name, but ESL isn’t budging.
“Advertising pornography is not legal in the markets we operate in,” ESL explained to VentureBeat, “and the vast majority of partners we’re working with have strict ‘no drugs, no alcohol, no pornography’ rules that we’ve contractually taken on board. These aren’t new rules but ones that have been in our rulebooks for a long time. We have spoken to Team YP manager earlier this year, and in that conversation we’ve explained the situation and rules in detail and offered to look for potential alternatives in a bigger group. At the same time, we’re consulting with our legal teams about this. We will inform the team and the management as soon as we have any updates.”
Team YP’s manager has since expressed her disappointment, pointing out that this type of policy creates fewer sponsorship opportunities for players. “While for some, our participation in eSports has been controversial, stopping our players from competing because they are sponsored by us, in spite of Team YP operating as a completely SFW [safe for work] brand, clearly separated from any adult content, seems unfair to say the least,” she said.
Given that there’s potential illegality involved, it’s a messy situation. Even if the ESL wanted to support Team YP, they might not be able to. Esports fans, however, have been mostly supportive of Team YP, pointing out that sites like G2A, a Steam key re-seller with a less-than-sparkling reputation, continue to sponsor ESL teams and events. Sketchy gambling sites also have fingers in the pie. The legality of that, especially as it pertains to minors, is debatable, but it’s largely unregulated at this point.
Team YP hasn’t given up yet, but they have got a long road ahead of them. Despite the fact that basically everybody uses it, porn is still frowned upon in large portions of society. Also, while Team YP’s made an effort to keep salacious images of people without underwear or cuff links away from their brand, all it takes is a single Google search of their name to uncover the connection. Oh, and their logo is a sword between two mountains. Not exactly subtle!
Comments
10 responses to “ESL Bans YouPorn’s Esports Team Because Porn”
Oh that’s just… hilarious in a way. I mean, come on they didn’t see that coming?
Oh man yes I just saw the puns I made.
But seriously, they could not have possibly foreseen this as an issue and said “Maybe we’ll just you know… not do this as it’s obviously going to be hit on the head before it starts?”
thanks for the edit, the pun you removed was asspecially terrible,
I don’t know, man. Rules are rules but some rules are less equal than others. I get the position but the illegality of porn in other countries is hardly reasonable by any (again) reasonable standard. I’m glad someone tried and failed, hopefully we can begin a more constructive perspective on not banning things that have negligible or zero ill effects when consumed by an emotionally healthy individual.
Oh… Well, it may also help begin a dialogue on gamers becoming emotionally healthy individuals first.
I guess the major thing is here that Esports are trying to be accessible by all ages. You can’t have a team sponsored by a porn company in a league that’s promoting itself to adults *and* kids.
As for porn having no effect, or negligible effect, that depends on what you call negligible. It comes down to how often it’s being viewed, in what context etc. Here’s a fantastic read on the potential link between the overviewing of porn and depression in men http://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/porn-debate
While it most definitely can be a great thing to aid in relationships, or a quick fap once in a while, if you’re overwatching it every day to the point you *need* it to make yourself get off, or if you’ve graduated to the level where a man and woman having sex, or girl girl or guy guy no longer does it for you and you really absolutely need to see dude with a 12 inch dong banging tiny blond chick in a clown mask being deep gagged while a horse reams her from behind while using a cheesegrater on her heels while she sings the star spangled banner while he’s dressed in a Jason Voorhees costume while she screams out he’s her Daddy and shes ‘not his daughter’ all while she drops a log… and you’re starting to find that shit lightweight? (Not…….that………I’ve………….ever looked for that……..I swear)
You may have a problem brewing and may want to consider giving up porn for a while…
Really? Gamers and porn go together like hand and ….
… pizza. <_< >_>
my question is, if they cant advertise in any way, and even offered to change their name, then what do they get out of sponsoring a team? Of course there is winnings, but come on [phrasing], its barely going to round a decimal place up on their current incum? [couldn’t resist]
Maybe some of the owners of YP just like video games and want to promote/support the industry and be apart of something they enjoy?
Crazy thought I know.
It did cross my mind that they might be investing in a team with every intention of listing it under ‘advertising’ in the expense column, theorising that goodwill from being seen as supporting the community will generate business, and any money made in the process is just a bone-us. However YP is a business and businesses don’t tend to spend money on something just because an individual within the company is a ‘fan’, the individual may choose to do this with their own money, but generally businesses exist to make money, not spend it.
Also If this was the case, I tend to think they would be trying very hard [pun] to make this public knowledge, that captain good-guy who is the ____ at YP just wants to support the community will all of YP’s $$$’s.
Or maybe I’m just the cynical type…
So they should, the filthy smut peddlers!