Co-founder/Editor, The Esports Advocate (@TEAdvocated). Former Esports Editor @sbjsbd/@esportsobserved. Contact: james@esportsadvocate.net.
Berkshire County, Ma
- Tweets 33,238
- Following 844
- Followers 3,102
- Likes 38,023
Pinned Tweet
A little update from Mass General Brigham post surgery:
open.substack.com/pub/jamesf…
7
4
112
14,756
You invite people to eat , you let them eat. The sister is a terrible host and shouldn’t have dinner parties.
9
33
6,555
221,569
there's a bonfire closer to the boss than where this video starts, which makes it suck less. But yeah this boss is fucking stupid.
7
8
1,820
83,065
So i've had the Scump/H3CZ v. Activision Blizzard lawsuit since last night. Read through it and the thing that stands out the most is this line:
"On a conference call, one Activision executive explicitly told Rodriguez that he was not the 'type of owner' Activision wanted for the league. Activision made clear to Rodriguez that he would be required to 'partner' with billionaire investors who 'looked' like Activision’s ideal or leave the professional Call of Duty market altogether."
The implication (and maybe i'm reading between the lines too much) being that race or ethnicity was the reason they declined to give him a CDL franchise on his own.
55
94
1,414
342,095
Thank you to @RLewisReports for doing this. We talked about this a few months ago and I was honored when he offered to help. It's hard to ask for help and I really don't know how to sometimes, so seeing the early response to this chokes me up. Thank you to everyone in this awesome community. I love you and appreciate every single one of you.
One of Esports most significant contributors has had a very rough time due to serious poor health and by virtue of being an American has ran up substantial medical bills. I hope we can all rally and help out a valued friend and colleague, James Fudge.
gofund.me/3287b9547
19
52
658
86,892
This happened during the Esports World Cup. While players played LOL and COD for money people were having their heads chopped off. While they were giving out Esports Awards too.
- August recorded the highest number of executions in 2024.
- #SaudiArabia has killed 80 people in the last two months.
- An execution every 33 hours in #SaudiArabia in 2024.
- 2024 has been the deadliest in 20 years.
#StopTheSlaughter
9
63
579
87,954
So did she. Until she was arrested. amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…
5
10
385
23,307
I'm not going to weigh in on the Rekkles story from @Thorin too much, but it irks me that people lack basic media literacy. Why are all of his sources anonymous?, they ask. Here's your answer and it's a pretty normalized practice. It's up to the reader/viewer to decide if they believe the story or not at the end of the day, but let's not be stupid about how sourcing works.
ethicsandjournalism.org/reso…
19
15
393
86,179
So EWC has like 1 event and it’s live event of the decade? Fascinating.
The finalists for Esports Live Event of the Decade are:
@lolesports
@EWC_EN
@dota2ti
@Evo
@FNCompetitive
@IEM
@ELEAGUETV
@FreeFire_NA
@MobileLegendsOL
@CODLeague
✅ Vote now: esportsawards.com/vote
Voting closes on August 11th
#EsportsAwards2025
7
13
356
12,894
As a journalist all I can think of is Jamal Khashoggi.
LOCKED IN: @esportsawards sign three year deal with @ESWCgg to host its annual awards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
esportsadvocate.net/2024/06/…
8
17
302
13,751
Great news, six months after my treatment the cancer is gone ! While there’s always a chance for a return , they are going to check it every six months for a couple of years 🎉🥳🎈
Big day today. Did I beat cancer or is it hanging on for a repeat performance. Today’s the day I find out.
55
9
324
14,554
I wanted to thank everyone who contributed to a GoFundMe campaign for me that went live this week. It was fully funded in less than 24 hours. again thank you to @RLewisReports for making it happen.
jamesfudge.substack.com/p/a-…
4
17
274
19,813
I am going to write something about this, but I don't want to write surface level stuff without digging into the most important bits. I hope some smart IP lawyers/experts are looking at this and getty ready to make content around it. This is your time to shine!
1
249
49,444
I really wonder how many esports journalists and Twitter tastemakers with vast jersey collections out here are scared about writing stories tied to companies in Riyadh and Dubai.
When you read a story where a content creator is (allegedly) owed $1M, an international team is (allegedly) owed $5M, and a North American division (@hergalaxygg ) dedicated to WOMEN in ESPORTS is (allegedly) owed six weeks of back pay, and only one outlet reports on it, you have to wonder WTF is going on. 🤯
Maybe some of them are trying to get that bag? IDK.
esportsadvocate.net/2023/09/…
5
46
117
26,147
Here is my official stance on the @ESWCgg and @esportsawards as a journalist and the co-founder of @TEAdvocated: While it is highly unlikely that our publication/reporters would be nominated this year- let alone win an award - given our coverage of the Esports World Cup, @ESL , and the Saudi government, I respectfully decline any and all participation. It would be unethical to accept an award sponsored by a Saudi government-backed project (they say it is funded by a grant) when less than 20 miles from the site of the Esports World Cup, political prisoners are being mistreated and the government being linked to the murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Other writers in our organization are free to make their own decisions on accepting/declining awards.
6
27
214
28,059
Want to hire some stellar people who used to work for @100Thieves creating great content? Here's a list for you:
@MikeAransky
@THWACKIFY
@AlecDaughtry
@BillyRayfe
@Blackbeard
@brevax
@CyPhlux
@DahmainxAngel
@AryaHojati
@JosephForghani
@megvntricha
@iamcmartinez1
@PatrikTheLast
19
31
198
Politics aside, there's a lesson here: Your emails to Politico are ON THE RECORD, and communication with them is tricky because you don't know what rules they are using or what they are agreeing to, apparently. Magic 8-ball journalism.
4
10
131
No surprises here. It's hard to argue there's no direct ties to the government anymore, and that it's all just funded by a sports grant.
A Royal Appointment: The de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, HRH Crown Prince MBS, has been appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Esports World Cup Foundation (@EWC_EN). He is also the Chairman of Savvy Games Group.
✍🏼@jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2025/09/…
3
13
182
24,275
I think the @esportsawards is cooked at this point - a majority of its winners have direct financial ties to Saudi-backed entities, which makes one wonder who made the selections. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter, I guess.
What does matter is the poor journalists chosen as nominees for Esports Journalist of Year and even more so for the winner, who will have to reconcile that this award is funded by a government that 1) assassinated @washingtonpost journalist Jamāl Aḥmad Khāshqujī in Turkey (according to U.S. intelligence agencies) and 2) currently has 24 journalists in jail.
rsf.org/en/country/saudi-ara…
8
10
166
11,832
.@BLASTPremier is not commenting about its #NEOM deal. A rep from the company told me this morning: "At this stage, we don't have anything to add to this story."
6
9
158
I have been working on a new esports business news site called The Esports Advocate over the last few months. I think there is enough there to say it's "officially open for business." esportsadvocate.net
Let's explore why "another site about esports" is needed.🧵
18
17
148
46,491
A record breaking year.
🚨NEW: #SaudiArabia is on track to break its own execution record in 2025, with an alarming increase in executions for non-lethal offenses, MEDC and @Reprieve find in a new fact sheet. 🧵
mideastdc.org/publication/sa…
3
15
113
29,824
Another shocking win!
The winner of the Esports Broadcast & Production Team of the Year award is...
@esl @faceit
Congratulations! 🏆
#EsportsAwards2024
3
1
111
5,034
I was literally a day or two away from publishing a story about this breakup but was a bit blindsided by today's announcements. Nevertheless, we have some insights on some of the reasons why this deal unraveled in our story that you probably won't read anywhere else...
Game Over: The International Olympic Committee (@iocmedia) and the Saudi Arabian government have mutually agreed to kill the 12-year contract for the Esports Olympic Games. We dive into why this happened, with the help of multiple sources.
✍🏼 @jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2025/10/…
2
10
114
24,014
I am so happy to finally and formally announce that @Kevin_Hitt has joined our little company as Editor-at-Large. With his expertise and the rest of the team - @TobiasSeck and @CHYchenhongyu - we are going to make a serious impact in 2025. Get ready and welcome Kevin! We all missed working with you! LFGO.
Welcome Home: Award-winning investigative journalist @Kevin_Hitt has joined @TEAdvocated as its new Editor-at-Large!
esportsadvocate.net/2025/03/…
14
9
112
5,084
To all the media outlets that seemingly ignored this story, here's one of the end results of this story. But just one. Are you going to pay attention now? Do these people matter to you? Asking for a friend.
EXCLUSIVE: @GalaxyRacerDxb has closed @hergalaxygg and fired all staff in North America following demand letters asking for back pay and the threat of a class action lawsuit:
✍@jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2023/11/…
4
11
41
10,792
BTW, for all the young journalists out there: you don't need access, a large amount of followers, a great amount of clout or anything other than a desire to tell the truth, wherever it goes, and love the work. Truly, I'm a nobody out here by those metrics, but I do love the work.
EXCLUSIVE: Multiple sources allege that @vindex leadership negotiated its deal with @ESL @FACEIT in secret, inflated @EsportsEng revenue projections, and used loopholes to avoid paying out on equity employees related to the sale.
✍🏻@jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2024/06/…
6
10
106
10,224
I'm going to say this and probably get some 🔥, but the reason that people like @Thorin, @MonteCristo, @RLewisReports, and the peeps at @LastFreeNation in the space i'm in are surviving/thriving is because they hustle their asses off and create TONS of content. You may not always agree with some of that content but you have to respect the hustle. If you are not willing to bust your ass out here you aren't going to get anywhere and you are definitely not going to make any $$$.
6
5
105
13,794
Some great reporting from @RLewisReports on the recent public dust-up between @ESL and @pglesports related to conflicts with the Bucharest and Chengdu events. I was actually working on this story too, but he just has information I didn't have access to, if I am being honest - Go read it, it's awesome work.
richardlewis.substack.com/p/…
1
4
109
5,027
Big day today. Did I beat cancer or is it hanging on for a repeat performance. Today’s the day I find out.
17
1
107
17,454
The only other implication I can pick up from this is "he doesn't look like a billionaire NFL team owner" but what does an NFL team owner look like?
2
2
102
38,906
Update: they gave me drugs, I fell asleep and woke up. They cut a small polyp off my voice box and sent me home. My throat is a bit sore and I won’t be able to talk for 2-3 weeks and my wife doesn’t want me working at all but I will lose my mind if I don’t return next week. There’s a lot of work left to be done and know one else is going to do it except a handful of people. So that is where I am at. I feel great, and I’m so thankful to all my readers. You keep me motivated and humble. LFGO. ❤️🙏
14
91
9,883
If a journalist went to Riyadh this week and stayed for 2-3 days, the flight would cost roughly around $1400 - $1600 USD (from LA), and a basic room at the Four Seasons in Riyadh is around $700+ a night. Meals are probably included as a guest of the state. That is a lot of money to be taking from a government-backed entity.
This is why real disclosures are needed when press lets companies pay the way. It's okay to do that (some outlets can't afford to send people to an event) but disclosing it shows the readers that you respect them enough to be transparent and that you work for them.
Your motivation as a journalist is to inform/serve the public, not the interest of your hosts/business partners. If it's not, then you are a marketer/PR flak, not a journalist. PS: If my numbers are wrong, please correct me.
9
88
10,428
The guy's injured, I'm not sure how he's supposed to be front-and-center when he has a bad wheel. If he said Keith Lee, i'd say "okay, you've got me."
10
78
8,621
I’m sorry you worked for people that didn’t recognize your talent and with colleagues that didn’t respect your input, but I am happy you found people that see your value.
2
73
18,986
A shocking win. I never saw this coming
Hear from @Msdossary7 at @falconsesport as they win the Organisation of the Year Award, presented by @lexus
Thank you for watching the #EsportsAwards2024!
4
2
84
3,806
Can you guess which categories are missing from this year's awards?
Viva Las Vegas: Voting is open for the 2025 @esportsawards, with winners to be announced at a gala event in Las Vegas in early November:
esportsadvocate.net/2025/10/…
4
13
69
38,418
Orgs Gone Wild: In May, 27 teams promoted the #EsportsWorldCup but didn't disclose that they were engaging in marketing. We asked multiple regulators/SROs (@FTC, @ASA_UK, @CompBureau, etc.) if these orgs broke any rules:
✍🏼@jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2024/05/…
3
4
87
20,998
@politico Or as the rest of us like to call them, "U.S citizens"
7
8
68
Inspiring! But you left out the part where grandma trained for a month, got stronger, and one day after school you caught those hands. Never had the rubber match, though.
1
79
8,776
I just want to thank everyone who contributed to this and also those who shared it here, on LinkedIn, and Facebook. I'm still in shock about the response; this is going to lift a major burden off me and help deal with future expenses. Yeah, it's a big deal to me. I love this community.
gofundme.com/manage/james-fu…
1
82
4,037
Was Riot's Chris Greeley at the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh this week? According to Fahad Ali from @arabnews (great outlet BTW), yes he was. I wonder what they were all talking about behind closed doors?
4
3
74
60,068
Well it wasn't a fever dream, after all. Thank you @esportsawards for the finalist coin.
5
5
82
7,391
Please go read my story about @TheGuard if you want to learn about what happened on Wednesday. We'll have more on this story later today.
esportsadvocate.net/2023/02/…
3
9
77
29,135
How far has @m80 come since its launch at the end of last year? So very far.
Big Player: Professional tennis player Daniil Medvedev (@DaniilMedwed) has joined the ownership group of @M80gg today and will help the org with sports psychology, securing more partnerships and sponsorships, and growing its fanbase.
✍@jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2023/11/…
1
2
77
28,926
I'm so glad I started @TEAdvocated when I did. It has been a challenge, but there are very few outlets/journalists left who are willing to speak actual truth to power and who have not taken a bag from the Saudi government. Yes there a few of us left, but that number is rapidly diminishing and it makes me sad and sick in my soul.
5
8
76
9,741
Pro Tip: If you ran an esports company with bags of VC money on an idea you KNEW was unsustainable and never actually turned a profit (your revenue was greater than your costs), and then managed to sucker the Saudis to buy you, that's called failing upward. Eventually they'll figure out you scammed them too, and who knows what they'll do about it.
11
9
71
9,007
Just wanted to show everyone i'm still here.
EXCLUSIVE: @ESL is in the process of laying off the majority of staff at the @EsportsEng Burbank office. The move is part of an effort to consolidate its NA operations. The company confirmed some details of our story in a statement.
✍🏼@jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2025/02/…
1
2
68
3,031
I keep hearing the same stories in esports over and over again:
- no contract, virtual handshake deals.
- no invoicing.
- people don't pay, or partially pay with the promise of catching up "soon."
- people owed money keep quiet, but continue working for said company.
- people keep quiet because they are hoping to be made whole or fear being backlisted.
5
12
63
9,542
Esports/gaming-related entities (media, orgs, etc) that are taking money from city projects and government-owned entities. Here's a before and after of the @NEOM project (from @Planet). In shot 1, villages and people. In shot 2, all gone, demolished. Where did those people go? Were they paid? Are they alive? In prison?
bbc.com/news/world-middle-ea…
6
10
62
7,905
From @hrw: "Saudi authorities have been carrying out an unprecedented surge in executions in 2025 without apparent due process, Human Rights Watch and the Middle East Democracy Center said today. The June 14 execution of Turki al-Jasser, a journalist known for exposing corruption within the Saudi royal family, raises concerns that the Saudi government is using the death penalty to crush peaceful dissent."
Every time we (those of us left) write a negative story about EWC/PIF/ETC, we are challenging billions in investment of a government that executes journalists. so to EWC organizers saying "come and see for yourself" - I say no thanks, I don't want to die.
hrw.org/news/2025/08/11/saud…
19
65
8,207
Exactly, if you're not hacking the game and/or using glitches, it's a win. The game is designed so you can do it solo (and players that can do that are freaking amazing) but it's also meant to be played coop and when it is no longer able to have a network those spirit summons will serve as the next best thing. It's really a game designed for all skill levels.
55
7,274
I'm a pretty private person but I want to publicly thank God for my nephew getting on the kidney donor list and receiving a kidney transplant. He's recovering from surgery right now. We were going to lose him if this didn't happen and so this truly is is a miracle. ♥🙏🏼
8
63
1,582
If you run women’s esports initiatives but also take money from a government that locks women up for speaking about women’s rights it is my job to point this out.
2
4
57
3,944
If you don’t understand why a brand would have a billboard like this then you’re not a very good businessman. People are all different shapes and sizes, and their target market is really anyone who can afford to buy their products. It’s brilliant
14
53
43,787
Why aren't the biggest Call of Duty/esports publications in the world not covering Scump endorsing the Esports World Cup? What's going on? The story has been out for hours and hours. Very suspect.
4
8
59
28,101
Well, I am going to be slowing down a little bit in December and maybe into January as I have six weeks of chemo/radiation starting sometime in December.
open.substack.com/pub/jamesf…
18
1
59
4,591
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Work on you bro.
1
5
46
In general, reporters looking for clout should just be content creators; all they care about is their follower count, but not their actual followers or being a servant to the truth.
3
3
54
39,255
Esports Coverage Platform of the Year for 2023, according to the @esportsawards. So how is this not a major conflict of interest on all of its @EWC_EN coverage? Will there be disclosures in all EWC stories for the duration of this deal?
3
4
50
10,473
I'm glad this story got some attention and that one way or another we tried to give people who didn't have a voice a way to speak, and maybe gave some courage to speak after the fact. I wish everyone involved gets made whole...
All of this attention happened while I was convalescing this week. A medical issue I thought was pretty serious really sidetracked me on Tuesday morning and I mostly stayed offline (I was reading X but not commenting, mostly). I'm almost out of the woods on that (I think, we'll see) but I am not quite there yet. Maybe we'll be back tomorrow, TBD. Thanks to everyone who reads and shares our content.
Early Challenges: The @luminosity sale left players, contractors, and creators waiting on overdue payments.
✍🏼 @jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2025/09/…
2
4
54
9,125
#AD ?
How speed and brand partners are helping Riyadh grow games and esports | Brian Ward interview venturebeat.com/games/how-sp…
1
2
52
3,530
People are wondering, if so many journalists heard "rumors" about what happened with Doc why didn't they write about it? I can't speak for anyone else but when I write a story that can damage someone's reputation, I have to have tangible proof, multiple sources, and I have to be sure it's true. It would be reckless to publish a story based on unproven allegations and it opens up the writer and their publication to litigation. Every big story TEA has published since its launch has been accurate for a reason. We are not in the business of rumors.
4
3
52
5,034
Is this the most popular story I have ever written on X/Twitter? I think so. Wild.
Mastering the Moveset: @Evo organizer RTS has been fully acquired by Saudi Arabian mega-city project @qiddiya:
esportsadvocate.net/2025/09/…
6
1
54
2,126
Now people at esports orgs and big companies can like my tweets without fear of repercussions from their bosses 😍 You know you want to.
2
1
49
1,857
Thank you to everyone for the words - they really matter right now. I'm going to beat this thing's skull like a fucking drum. And some of that is because of you.
51
1,649
It's ironic that FIFA is taking a stand against dirty underhanded behavior and/or corruption.
1
4
43
5,349
I know, and they are probably leaving context out, but on its face, be a good host or don’t host things…
1
44
3,513
I quit smoking after 40+ years, and I give a lot of credit to @bethesda for Skyrim, which has been my safe space for six weeks. the people that created content for this game are wonderful. Thank you, you may have saved my life.
3
2
51
1,717
If anyone is shocked by this they have not been paying attention, this was one of their end goals.
The IOC has partnered with the National Olympic Committee of Saudi Arabia to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games 2025 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This follows the IOC’s recent announcement to establish the Olympic Esports Games.
More: olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-an…
3
2
48
5,640
The latest edition of our newsletter touches on the recent episode of The Four Horsemen (featuring @MonteCristo, @RLewisReports, @Thorin, and guest @Kevin_Hitt - talking about the state of esports journalism) and all the other news you might have missed so far this week:
shorturl.at/cR9ra
5
48
9,506
This is not a brag: imagine @TEAdvocated with funding and an entire army of trained reporters. That thought scares some people in this industry. Honestly, my biggest challenge is time. I don’t have time to chase every story and I have a lot of them.
2
3
46
3,195
Thanks to @RLewisReports for giving @TEAdvocated a nod for our article about @ESWCgg partnered teams possibly violating advertising guidelines with their advertising blitz in May.
I think what he is planning for #pridemonth related to this is ambitious and important. You can read more about that here: 🌈
richardlewis.substack.com/p/…
5
47
1,304
FYI: If you don't like me talking about cancer or think I am somehow pandering, you might want to mute me until March, or maybe just unfollow me. IDK what to tell you. This is what i'm going through and I want to share it with people that might actually care. If not, no hard feelings... I haven't asked anyone for anything.
2
48
2,549
So at around the 48:09 mark in The @OpTic Podcast Ep. 146, @scump talks about promoting the Esports World Cup and wanting to participate. "He's got a kind face," says @H3CZ.
piped.video/PqVTIXZkaQw?si=0s_8…
2
6
42
12,417
Next week or maybe the week after we are going to put out what I believe is one of our biggest stories of this year, and it may ruffle a lot of feathers, but this is exactly why I created @TEAdvocated : to tell the stories no one else can. You'll know which one when you read it, I guess. Bad news for aggregators on this platform: You're going to have to link to us. Sorry.
2
4
47
3,370
As the editor-in-chief of ESI, Tom Daniels should know better than to write an article and not have a disclosure on its recent sponsorship at ESI London from Qiddiya and the Saudi Esports Federation, given that these things are directly tied to the Esports World Cup/SEF/PIF fund.
🗞️ We sat down with Ralf Reichert following his departure from the ESL FACEIT Group to discuss the new Esports World Cup Foundation, his role as CEO and how he plans to address community concerns regarding the Saudi event.
ow.ly/hRqr50Q10Nj
4
5
44
9,259
I'm going to have to make a public announcement soon. Didn't really want to but i'm going to have to dip from time to time in the not-too-distant future... more soon ☹️
3
1
45
1,949
The chat on this @Thorin video is pretty unhinged. I'll have to watch the rest after my treatment today
piped.video/watch?v=3pfiCs1R…
3
1
44
6,196
PS: Savvy Games Group is owned by the Saudi government, which also owns the New Global Sport Conference, which GamesBeat is a "media partner of." This article is missing something important.
1
37
514
It's weird to me that no one other outlet has covered this story. Could it be they are scared to? IDK, but Esports World Cup starts next week so... do the math. I'm waiting for @RollingStone's story in particular, now that they have a keen interest in esports/gaming.
EXCLUSIVE: Multiple sources allege that @vindex leadership negotiated its deal with @ESL @FACEIT in secret, inflated @EsportsEng revenue projections, and used loopholes to avoid paying out on equity employees related to the sale.
✍🏻@jfudge
esportsadvocate.net/2024/06/…
3
46
3,175
You should be careful, for real @JakeSucky . The people paying you (the country you are in right now) own EE and they might frown upon you highlighting their mistakes.
2
1
46
11,091
My only regret in not winning an Esports Award this year is that I didn't get to tell all the people who supported my endeavor how much that has meant to me, or to say to all the sources and tipsters who had the courage to come forward, thank you. Your trust means EVERYTHING to me.
2
2
41
2,856
People like “I’m not reading all that” and then we wonder why so many people are just so stupid. You can’t handle 400 words? Holy shit.
2
3
43
1,891
I speak fluent moron; let me translate: “I’m tired of having to pay for sex, not because I am ugly but because stupid things often come out of my mouth and no one wants to be near me.”
30
If I was a crisis management expert I would have told the @esportsawards management to announce this in April or May but NOT during Pride Month. Also I think a lot of people on panels may have been blindsided by this announcement today - i don't know, just making an educated guess.
3
1
42
3,837
Great main event! can @JonMoxley have a bad match? The answer is no. #DefyWildOnes
1
5
40