despite the Covid, the Chamois Niortais faced Caen… on FIFA

No Caen / Niort match on the lawn this Saturday January 8, 2022 due to Covid, but an online meeting on FIFA. A player from the Chamois Niortais e-sports team faced the community manager of SM Caen. Behind the Chamois virtual team, hides the Dragons Niortais association which continues its rise in the world of e-sport.

Postponed due to Covid, the Ligue 2 meeting between Niort and Caen on Saturday January 8 did indeed take place… On the internet. An initiative launched by the communication officer of Chamois Niortais FC, Pierre Bazireau. “Spontaneously, I tweeted at the time of the match, calling out SM Caen”he says. “I wanted to fill the void of this Saturday evening without a match, and decompress from this situation with the Covid.”

Neither one nor two, the Stade Malherbe Caen then offered a match on FIFA 22, a football simulation game on Playstation. This is Anthony Delaye, alias AnthoFIFA, which represented the Chamois Niortais. Semi-professional, he dominated the game. Final score: 3-1 for the Chamois. “I had to win in this match organized out of the blue, I had no choice!”, he laughs. Because in the comments of the stream and on Twitter, the supporters were few, around fifty on average, but very motivated to defend the colors of their respective teams.

“It’s a way to show that it’s not just football in stadiums that brings people together, but also football that is developing in e-sport”explique Anthony Delaye, alias AnthoFIFA. “It’s not just a game, it’s real competition.”

For the past year, Anthony Delaye has been one of the 11 holders of the Chamois Niortais professional e-sports club. With his teammates, he trains 4 times a week from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., via screen. And it pays. After the Ligue 1 title, organized by Virtual Pro Gaming France, the team won the Coupe de France on December 22.

The professional club is under the leadership of the association “Les Dragons Niortais”. Created in June 2018, it brings together 150 members. From Deux-Sèvres to Martinique, Belgium or Switzerland, players of all levels are welcomed. “Some people don’t want to compete, just have fun and share their passion”explains President Stévie Fageon.

To become more professional, the association can count on its sponsors. It has just signed a new partnership with the Boulanger company. “The brand becomes our main sponsor and will appear on our jerseys”, continues the president of the Dragons Niortais. In exchange, the company finances the opening of premises, a gaming houseand provides them with 42,000 euros worth of equipment.

The gaming house will allow players to install their equipment and welcome the public. Conferences will be organized there. It should ultimately create between two and four jobs. The association hopes to open by March-April 2022.

Another possibility with this partnership: raising awareness and prevention around video games in schools. The objective is to fight against the addiction in which some young people fall, but also against the ideas received on e-sport.

Many young people want to work in esports and become a professional gamer. In reality, only 0.1% of players make a living from it, and the average retirement age is 24.

Stévie Fageon, president of the Dragons Niortais

–

“Many young people want to work in esports and become a professional player”notes Stevie Fageon. “In reality, only 0.1% of players make a living from it, and the average retirement age is 24. The goal is to explain to them that there are plenty of other trades.”

Developer, community manager or e-sport journalist: the association hopes to awaken vocations and make these young people want to study in schools near Niort. “We are working with a digital school in the region to create a branch specializing in e-sport”he reveals.

Thanks to their rise, the Dragons Niortais have succeeded in placing Niort on the map of international e-sport. “Many esports clubs completely remove their geographical ties from their name”regrets Stevie Fageon. “However, we should not be ashamed of it. Our goal is to make Niort shine in e-sport, and to open even more doors with the town hall, and with local sports clubs.”

The Deux-Sévrien association is not only present on FIFA: there is Fortnite and the classic Mario Kart. She also has a top team on the fighting game Dragon Ball FighterZ. On December 4, 2021, three of his new licensees were a hit at the European Championships in this game. The player Yasha won the title of European champion, District finished third. And Wade, fifth. The association is also looking to set up a team that will wear its colors on Counter-Strike Go in 2022. Niort e-sport has a bright future ahead of it.

–