Team Flash now has a dedicated training facility at the Singapore Sports Hub

Professional esports organization Team Flash have secured a dedicated training facility at the Singapore Sports Hub, representing a new partnership to develop local emerging talent.

The move comes in view of esports being a medal event at the 2019 SEA Games in Philippines and the Asian Games 2022 in China, both of which Singapore is seeking to enter.

This collaboration sees Team Flash training within the venue’s OCBC Arena, with ready access to a gym and traditional athlete care such as physiotherapists. We will also see regular workshops and community engagement to feature the rising profile of Singapore’s esports athletes.

“We are truly excited to partner Singapore Sports Hub to develop the country’s top esports talent. Our strategic partnership will provide us with the essential infrastructure to execute our talent roadmap in this world-class venue with traditional athlete support for our esports athletes,” said Team Flash CEO and founder, Terence Ting.

“Singapore Sports Hub is always proud to be a part of our local sports ecosystem. We are looking forward to the exciting plans with Team Flash which includes providing a conducive environment for emerging local talents especially in the world of esports. Singapore Sports Hub will be the partner of choice to growing Singapore’s esports industry and building future national stars” said Singapore Sports Hub’s chief commercial officer, Adam Firth.

Team Flash CEO Terence Ting and Singapore Sports Hub chief commercial officer Adam Firth detailing their esports partnership at a Mar 1 press conference. (Team Flash)

The 2019 SEA Games marks esports’ debut at a multi-sport event sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Six video games are planned, of which five have been announced so far: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (mobile), Arena of Valor (mobile), Dota 2 (PC), StarCraft II (PC), and Tekken 7 (console). The sixth game will be on console as well.

Team Flash are best known for their podium finishes in FIFA, their most recent achievement being a 3-1 gold medal clincher against Vietnam at the EA Champions Cup Winter 2018 in South Korea. The combined team – comprising Singaporeans Fardeen “Fardhino” Hussain and Amraan from Team Flash, as well as Malaysian Darren “RippedJeannn” Gan from Team Mineski – took home US$100,000 (~S$135,000) in prize money.

Of the five announced games, Team Flash is highly familiar with Arena of Valor and Mobile Legends. Their Vietnamese AOV squad scored a US$150,000 (~S$202,000) second-place win at the International Championship 2018 in Thailand, while the latter make up some of Singapore’s top MLBB players – they were known as Team Tyrants prior to Flash’s acquisition last year.

For their part, the Singapore Sports Hub has already embraced the esports revolution. Last year, the venue hosted the Riot Games-MTV youth festival, Hyperplay, as well as the AOV Valor Cup organized by the Singapore Cyber Sports Online Gaming Association (SCOGA).

Esports being an IOC medal event has greatly boosted legitimacy, particularly among traditional institutions and governments. This has led to an increase in coverage, events, and interest, with even Singtel pushing their stake deeper through a partnership with SK Telecom. Hopefully, this development between Team Flash and the Singapore Sports Hub will see a greater, positive impact among everyday Singaporeans.

Photo: Team Flash