The BLAST Shikenso partnership has officially expanded, continuing a collaboration that’s set to redefine brand analytics in top-tier esports. Announced on the heels of their initial agreement in 2023, this ongoing alliance between tournament organizer BLAST and German AI-driven firm Shikenso Analytics will scale across all major BLAST events. The goal? To unlock deeper sponsorship insights and increase brand visibility using advanced esports data analytics techniques. This move comes as esports organizations demand more transparent, actionable media metrics from their partners.
BLAST, widely known for its premier Counter-Strike 2 tournaments, sees this deepened integration as key to helping sponsors measure the impact of their brand exposure. With Shikenso’s AI tools, every logo, name drop, and shout-out is accounted for—bringing precision to how marketing value is reported within the esports content lifecycle.
Advanced tools elevate sponsorship insights
Shikenso Analytics is no stranger to innovation. By using image recognition, sentiment analysis, and audio tracking, they offer powerful ways to track sponsor mentions and placements across live streams, VODs, and social media channels. This gives an exhaustive, real-time view of how brands perform during events like BLAST Premier, RLCS, and the high-profile BLAST.tv Austin Major.
In esports, where engagement is fragmented across Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter/X, finding consistent KPIs has been a challenge. But with this expanded partnership, BLAST can now offer partners granular sponsorship insights that go beyond traditional viewership stats—delivering a more holistic picture of value.
BLAST events are now data-rich powerhouses
From BLAST R6 to the Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS), the tournaments under the BLAST umbrella are already running at full tilt. With Shikenso’s tools plugged in, each event now doubles as a data engine—offering insights not just to BLAST, but also esports teams and talent agencies.
Brand visibility no longer hinges on guesswork. For example, if a team’s jersey logo is shown for a cumulative 20 minutes during a broadcast, stakeholders now know the precise ROI that exposure delivered across all relevant platforms. These metrics help BLAST partners justify spend and refine media strategies for future campaigns.
Why the timing matters in esports data analytics
The expansion couldn’t come at a better time. As monetization tightens in parts of the gaming ecosystem, advertisers and investors are scrutinizing every dollar. By combining Shikenso’s real-time tracking with BLAST’s high-quality broadcasts, this partnership ensures sponsorships don’t vanish into digital black holes.
Moreover, recent changes in the CS2 esports competitive scene—including major tournament reorganizations and shifting team dominance—mean visibility metrics are more important than ever. Sponsors want to know which players, teams, and streams drive the most connection with fans. With esports data analytics now central to the conversation, the BLAST Shikenso partnership becomes a benchmark for the industry.
Shikenso Analytics expands esports influence
Already a staple in many behind-the-scenes conversations among major esports talent and production agencies, Shikenso’s rise mirrors the overall trend toward data-driven decision-making. The company’s growing portfolio includes deals with tournament organizers, talent groups, and competitive teams—it’s not just the big names like BLAST benefitting from these capabilities.
By being involved with every part of the esports ecosystem, from ground-level team visibility to top-tier tournament branding, Shikenso Analytics cements itself as the go-to platform for brand performance evaluation.
Long-term impact across the esports market
The implications of the BLAST Shikenso partnership ripple far beyond a single event series. With more accurate performance reporting, esports sponsors may increase investment. Teams gain leverage in partnership talks by showing exposure results, while BLAST can streamline pitch decks for advertising deals.
This creates a healthier, more systematic view of esports value flow—an essential step toward competing with traditional sports leagues, where comprehensive viewership and advertising data is the norm.
As BLAST events scale globally, expect a tighter marriage of analytics and execution—one where tournaments are planned not just for raw entertainment, but for measurable brand success.
Frequently asked questions about the BLAST Shikenso partnership (FAQ)
What is the BLAST Shikenso partnership?
The BLAST Shikenso partnership is a collaboration between esports tournament organizer BLAST and analytics firm Shikenso Analytics to enhance brand visibility tracking and sponsorship performance in esports.
How does Shikenso Analytics work in esports?
Shikenso uses AI-driven tools like image and audio recognition, sentiment analysis, and viewer behavior tracking to provide real-time sponsorship insights across esports content.
Which BLAST events are covered under this partnership?
The partnership spans BLAST Premier, BLAST Slam, RLCS, FNCS, BLAST R6, and the BLAST.tv Austin Major—covering a wide array of esports competitions.
Why is this partnership important for esports sponsors?
It provides advertisers with accurate, data-backed ROI on their brand exposure, helping optimize campaign efficiency and boost confidence in esports investments.
What impact does this have on the wider esports community?
Beyond advertisers, the data is beneficial for teams, talent agencies, and broadcasters, enabling more strategic decisions about partnerships, branding, and content value.
Sources to this article
- Brown, J. (2024). Interview with BLAST Commercial Director. csdonkey.com
- Shikenso Analytics (2024). Partnership announcements and technical briefs. https://shikenso.com
- BLAST (2024). Event coverage and news releases. https://blast.tv
- “BLAST expands esports data partnership with Shikenso.” CSDonkey.com (June 2024).
