December 30, 2024
In 2023, Ally Financial and Raidiant launched a major collaboration to bring more women into the esports spotlight, starting in Rocket League with the invaluable support of Psyonix. Ally, a digital financial services company, and Raidiant, a platform led by women in gaming, continued working together throughout 2024 to make gaming events more inclusive and accessible, creating real opportunities for women to shine in competitive esports.
This partnership is also part of Ally’s pledge to balance its media spending equally across men’s and women’s sports over the next five years, including esports. You can find more about Ally’s support for fair funding here.
Beth Woodruff, Sr. Director of Brand at Ally, has shared with us more of Ally’s perspective on collaborating with Raidiant this season.
Raidiant: Why do you think collaborations with Raidiant are so important for esports, especially for women?
Beth Woodruff, Sr. Director, Brand at Ally: The relationship between Ally and Raidiant is crucial for the growth and inclusivity in gaming. Raidiant provides a platform to amplify the voices and talents of women in a space that has historically been male-dominated. By working together, we can create more opportunities for women to showcase their skills, gain visibility, and inspire the next generation of female gamers.
Key events in 2024
This year was packed with events as part of this initiative, featuring top-level tournaments highlighting women in Rocket League.
The Tournament Format followed these guidelines throughout the year:
- Open Qualifier: Double Elimination Bo3 > Bo5 Winners and Losers’ Semi-Finals.
- Main Event Day 1: Two groups of four teams compete in Bo5 Round Robin matches against every other team within their group—the top two performing teams in each group advance.
- Main Event Day 2: The top four teams from Day 1 compete in a Bo7 Single Elimination Bracket.
Star Chasers Showdown Series #1
- Dates: Qualifier on April 7; Main Event on April 13-14
- This first series kicked off with impressive participation across North America and Europe, fostering a competitive women-only setting where teams competed for visibility and a share of the annual $75,000 prize pool.
- ACD was the crown victor of EU, and G2 Stride Luna came out as champions for NA.
Star Chasers Showdown Series #2
- Dates: Qualifier on July 6; Main Event on July 13-14
- The summer edition expanded on the success of the first, drawing a broader audience. Fans saw returning competitors and rising stars!
- It was DRDRS’s time to shine as EU champions, and 12 Bricks brought the win in NA.
Star Chasers Showdown Series #3
- Dates: Qualifier on September 7; Main Event on September 28-29
- This third series was heated! Competition was intense, with enthusiastic community support and highly competitive matches as teams closed in on the last series of this season.
- This time, G2 Stride Luna returned as the NA winner with a thrilling victory against Gen.G, and Quack Quack stomped BS+COMPETITION for the EU win.
Raidiant: How do events like RLCS and TwitchCon help further Ally’s DE&I initiatives?
Beth Woodruff: Events like the RLCS and TwitchCon are pivotal in advancing Ally’s goals because they offer a large, engaged audience and a high level of visibility. These events celebrate competitive gaming and serve as a melting pot for diverse communities. By participating in these events, we can highlight the achievements of women in gaming, foster a more inclusive environment, and encourage broader participation from underrepresented groups.
Ally All Stars
- Dates: Live Draft November 1; Main Event on November 2-3
- Closing out the year, this co-ed event welcomed top women players and select content creators for an inclusive and celebratory competition. This showdown capped off Ally’s commitment to creating visible, competitive platforms for women in esports.
TwitchCon San Diego
Raidiant and Ally made an exciting appearance at TwitchCon 2024 in San Diego, which took place from September 20 to 22. TwitchCon is one of the most significant events in the streaming world, bringing together influencers, gamers, and esports fans.
During the event, Raidiant and Ally took the opportunity to meet their community and promote their partnership. This marks a significant moment for the collaboration as it strengthens the commitment to raising awareness about women’s esports while engaging with a broader gaming community!
Raidiant: What’s been the most exciting part of working with Raidiant so far? Any moments from the September events that really stood out to you?
Beth Woodruff:
Working with Raidiant has been incredibly rewarding. One of the standout moments from RLCS/TwitchCon was seeing the overwhelming support and enthusiasm from the community. The energy at Rocket League Worlds was electric, and it was inspiring to see so many talented women creators have a dedicated space to meet their fans. Another highlight was the panel discussion at TwitchCon, where industry leaders and creators came together to discuss embracing their diversity as a content creator. These moments underscore the importance of our collaborations and the positive impact we can make together.
Partnership impact
The Ally x Raidiant collaboration marks a turning point for women in esports by supporting female-focused events and changing audience perceptions. These tournaments have led to increased community interest, suggesting that esports fans are eager for something in this direction.
This is just the beginning. These events are paving the way for a future in which women in esports are not the exception but the norm.
Looking forward
For additional details on the Ally All Stars and plans, follow updates from Ally and Raidiant.
We hope this collaboration sets an inspiring example for a more equitable future in esports and encourages other organizations to support women in gaming. And thank you, the community, for a fantastic 2024 season!