Unveiled construction of the digital sports hub, dubbed "Mayak Arena," by its creator
Yekaterinburg, the capital of Sverdlovsk, is set to take a significant leap in the digital sports scene, potentially challenging Kazan for the top spot. This ambitious move is being spearheaded by the All-Russian Federation of Digi-Sport, which is actively supporting the development of digital sports in Yekaterinburg and consulting colleagues nationwide.
The digital sports cluster in Yekaterinburg is a diverse ecosystem that includes eSports, drone racing, sports programming, fitness-Esports, auto and motorcycle racing, martial arts in the format of digi-sport, and jazz dance. The heart of this movement is the new digital sports center, a 3,000 sq.m arena designed for eSports and accommodating up to 200 athletes simultaneously. This new direction for the "Mayak" corporation is poised to redefine the city's landscape.
Grigory Gordienko, former captain of the Ural Federal University eSports team, is the director of the new arena. He is leading the charge in optimizing training on simulators for athletes, individuals in need of rehabilitation, and those aiming to maintain a healthy lifestyle. VR technologies are contributing to the development of seamless fitness-Esports formats, with examples including VR tennis, VR football, and VR basketball.
Fitness-Esports combines competitions in digital and physical formats, with the main goal being to score the most points in both formats. Seamless disciplines in fitness-Esports include dance or rhythm simulator, where the computer game acts as a coach, choreographer, and judge.
Yekaterinburg's foray into digital sports is not just about competition. It's about economic growth and job creation. The digital economy and IT sector in Russia have been rapidly growing, with significant investment in digital skills, technology, and domestic IT solutions. This growth includes a 50% increase in IT specialists in Russia over the past four years, reaching 850,000 employees, with a high average salary significantly above the national economy average.
The regional authorities of Yekaterinburg provide organizational and partial financial support for the UrFO digi-sport tournament. The creation of a digital game development cluster in Yekaterinburg and integrating new technologies into crucial educational, social, and other processes is seen as a promising advantage for the city and region's economy.
Municipalities in Yekaterinburg invite digital sports organizations to sports holidays where they present modern sports. "UralCyberFest" is open to cooperation and potential partnerships, further boosting the city's digital sports potential.
The III Cup of the Head of Yekaterinburg in billiard sports among men and women will take place on August 3, featuring a new digi-sport discipline. The digital sports center in Yekaterinburg will promote innovative disciplines such as auto and motorcycle racing, martial arts in the format of digi-sport, and jazz dance.
In summary, the economic benefits in Yekaterinburg and Sverdlovsk from digital sports stem from their integration into the broader growing digital and IT industry, job creation, tax revenues, and regional economic diversification fostered by governmental programs supporting digital innovation. Yekaterinburg could potentially enter the top three leaders in digital sports in Russia, alongside Moscow and St. Petersburg.
- Technology and sports converge in Yekaterinburg, as the new digital sports center adopts VR technologies to create seamless fitness-Esports formats like VR tennis, VR football, and VR basketball.
- Embracing digital sports isn't just about competition for Yekaterinburg; it's also about fostering economic growth and job creation within the thriving digital and IT sector, driving a 50% increase in IT specialists in Russia over the past four years.
