Xyp9x creates Danish player union

18-6-2017 19:47

Astralis player Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth has partnered up with DEF-Sport to create a players' union for Danish esports athletes.

Esports, and especially CS:GO, have grown to exceptional heights during the last couple of years, attracting new people to join the market.

Today, Dust2.dk revealed that Astralis player Andreas "⁠Xyp9x⁠" Højsleth has created a players' union for Danish esports athletes called Esport Spillerforeningen through a cooperation with DEF-Sport, the union behind the Danish badminton, basketball and ice hockey players' associations.

Xyp9x is one of the brains behind the players' union.

The union aims to represent Danish players who plan to become professional one day. Having a contract is not a requirement to be part of the union, but players need to have the ambition of being contracted at some point in the future.

As a paying member of the union, players will have access to counseling and help regarding legal relationships, pension, savings, missing salary and prizes, taxes and education. The director of the union, Mads Øland, is also the director of the football players' association in Denmark. Over the years, he has had several clashes with Danish football clubs and the country's football association over matters like holiday allowance and extra payment for sponsor agreements.

Xyp9x gave the following statement to Dust2.dk:

We are professional athletes - not lawyers, accountants or agents. Expertise is necessary to ensure players' rights. And as a professional, you do not have the time to focus on these things while performing and playing. Therefore, it is important that you can get help with that of your player association, which 100% defends your interests.

It's exactly the same as in any other sport, here we are not different from them. So, therefore, I am very pleased that DEF sports have moved into esport and recognize it as a sport.

We are professional athletes - not lawyers, accountants or agents. Expertise is necessary to ensure players' rights. And as a professional, you do not have the time to focus on these things while performing and playing. Therefore, it is important that you can seek help within a players' union that 100% defends your interests as a player.

It's exactly the same as in any other sport, we are not different from them. Therefore, I am very pleased that DEF-Sport have moved into esport and recognize it as a sport.

The move from DEF-Sport comes after the focus on esports in Denmark boomed following Astralis' victory at the ELEAGUE Major, in January. Earlier this year, an agency for Danish CS:GO players called Unique esport was created. It currently represents players like Allan "⁠AnJ⁠" Jensen, Danni "⁠smF⁠" Dyg and Peter "⁠Inzta⁠" Kragelund.

Wow

2017-06-18 19:47

1 reply

new team PogChamp

2017-06-18 19:48

I love the idea behind this. Good luck with it mate :)

2017-06-18 19:50

nice

wtf

2017-06-18 19:51

WHY?????????

2 replies

To ensure the rights of the players

2017-06-18 20:37

Seems good LUL

Nice!

disband the union

16 replies

Why though?

2017-06-18 20:15

15 replies

it will create conflicts. WESA was founded to solve (among others) such kinds of problems. and WESA isn't limited to Danish players.

2017-06-18 20:20

14 replies

Its not the same dumbass.. Ever line of work in Denmark has a union to sove legal issues and salaries, among other things.. Its not like they're gonna control which events they can participate in. The union represent the players.. Not the other way around. Their job is to make sure that the players get whats their.

2017-06-18 20:24

3 replies

there were no Danish players at "Gamers Paradise" -> no union needed.

2017-06-18 21:48

Dafuq??

2017-06-18 21:50

did you miss 2015?

2017-06-19 19:44

If a conflict is created because of an organization whose only purpose is to ensure the rights of csgo players. There is something terribly wrong in the csgo players community. (Which would make this organization even more necessary)

2017-06-18 20:26

In Denmark we arent afraid of unions, like in America. The unions help keep the clubs, businesses and government in check. They work for the people, and we have a long og strong history of unionisation in Denmark. So forming this union in Denmark is the obvious and right choice. Well Done Xyp9x.

2017-06-18 20:35

8 replies

Also notably, they haven't really formed anything, they've just made it possible for Danish esports pros to join the already existing DEF that's a workers union for pro athletes in sports like badminton, hockey and basketball.

2017-06-18 21:42

5 replies

+1 good move, but question, do you even have pro hockeyplayers?

2017-06-18 21:44

4 replies

We do, it's actually the sport with the 3rd highest attendence in Denmark, though football and handball are the two major sports. We even have seven players in the NHL. Obviously we're nothing like the big powerhouses like Canada, Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, USA and Finland, but we have like an outside shot of advancing from group stages at the world championships.

2017-06-18 21:56

Was just joking with you bro. Nielsen is a God.

2017-06-18 21:57

Also, you're probably better than Finland ;)

2017-06-18 21:58

Fair enough, I would understand if you genuinely wasn't sure, that's why I took the time to give a lengthy reply :)

2017-06-18 21:59

+1 go denmark!

Denmark > Sweden ?

2017-06-19 19:45

NiC

nice xD

lul now hes gonna get kicked from astralis

2017-06-18 19:52

12 replies

Why would he get kicked?

2017-06-18 19:54

6 replies

no company in the world likes when workers make unions just facts

2017-06-18 20:25

You don't think the rest of the astralis players will join the union as well?

2017-06-18 20:28

Do you mean their own org. should kick him? really?

2017-06-18 20:30

It is not really their own org, they only own a fraction of it. But I agree that it is highly unlikely, and whatever happens, he would still have a salary.

2017-06-18 20:32

Well that's true. But it is a felony to fire someone because they enter a union in Denmark. So his contract won't be broken. He could be benched, but that would just be stupid because he would still get a salary. Also I don't think that the company has the power to bench him. Also, csgo players are not like any worker that just can be replaced.

2017-06-18 20:31

I assume you have no clue about the history of workers unions in Denmark.

2017-06-18 21:43

Well historically when a union opens up or espands into A New area and workers join the union, the workers get fired because of the demands the union puts on the employer. Especially when there has been hundreds of other people looking for jobs who agreea to work in worse conditions. But since csgo players are not workers you can just replace with anyone else (or workers at all really) it's highly unlikely that he will get kicked.

Well more importantly, it's illegal to fire someone for joining a union in Denmark.

I know :) I didn't point that out because I equaled getting benched as getting kicked (from the active roster as I'm sure u understand) which he could (be benched) but that's highly unlikely. As I wrote in #79. I did not intend that there was a chance what so ever for him to be fired with his contract broken :)

2017-06-18 22:13

Well it was more to point out that historically it hasn't been the case for many many years that workers get fired in Denmark for joining a union, seeing as that's impossible.

2017-06-18 22:21

I'm sorry I don't know the union history of Denmark so well. But at least in Sweden, many people got fired for being affiliated with unions all the way from the 1920s to the 1980s even when it has been illegal.

2017-06-18 22:24

"We are professional athletes"¨ WUT

How arent't they? They need to train, they need to/should eat healthy, they need to be mentally rock solid. They need to train many hours a day. How can it not be compared?

2017-06-18 22:47

They are many workplaces, not related to gaming, where the above is required from their workers.

2017-06-18 23:00

yes but most workplaces, unlike sports or gaming, have regular salaries and don't radically change your salary depending on if you are the best in the world i get your point though

2017-06-19 02:52

When you can make a living of being an entertainer - a singer, bodybuilder, football player, boxer, Starcraft player or whatever, then you are professional. That's a definition that's included in many dictionaries. Amateurs usually have a day job out of necessity, because they aren't making enough from being a singer or athlete.

2017-06-19 15:09

Athlete was the word I wasn't sure about

2017-06-19 16:16

noice

im impressed i gained all respect i had for xyp9ezs

2017-06-18 19:53

2017-06-18 20:33

Xyp9x my fav. Way to go!

godn9x

"And as a professional, you do not have the time to focus on these things while performing and playing." implying that being a cspro is a hard life lold so fucking much today

2017-06-18 19:55

tbh i wouldnt want to play 8hrs everyday but i guess you have still enough time afterwards

2017-06-18 20:00

Because you know right?

2017-06-18 20:01

He's not implying that at all. In fact, what he is actually implying is that, as a professional CS pro, they simply don't have the time to focus on details such as legalities of contracts, and all the other things listed in the text. It's about not having time, nothing to do with being difficult.

2017-06-18 20:03

2017-06-18 21:25

give it a try mate... it's easy right? ;)

2017-06-19 12:23

I don't want to

2017-06-19 12:54

athlete btw haHAA

2017-06-18 19:56

i hope there are plenty of checks and balances in this player union.. soon it can become very counter productive or even corrupt.

2017-06-18 19:58

Cause Denmark is such a corrupt country..

2017-06-18 20:14

You seem to have no clue about the importance of workers' unions in Denmark, compared to other countries from "continental" Europe.

hahahaha

2017-06-18 22:59

commie sindicalist dtktd

Yeah, it's working out so horribly for us Denmark, what with our free education, healthcare, universal study stipends, 6 weeks of paid vacation, free childcare, universal pensions, free roads, low degree of corruption, what a communist nightmare.

2017-06-18 21:46

Lul, people love to hate good countries man. We swedes get it everyday on here aswell. It's just jealousy. Denmark is amazing, live right across the bridge from cph, go there at least once a month to chill with you danes. Fucking great people.

2017-06-18 21:53

Right back at you. Btw I love the Danish/Swedish relationship, we'll talk shit about each other whenever we can, but as soon as anyone else talks shit about the countries (maybe except for Norway, Finland and Iceland) we're right there ready to defend each other.

i didn't say the word nightmare, in fact i've always thought denmark is between the best countries to live in, stupid sindicalist

2017-06-18 23:34

Calling a country commies is generally considered an insult.

2017-06-18 23:52

i was baiting, but u answered so serious that i had to put it clear

2017-06-19 02:25

Brainp9x

kek union will have 0 influence

2017-06-18 20:02

Do you know anything about Denmark? Here in Denmark, unions have a great deal of influence.

2017-06-18 23:20

ok but its not a sport

I dont get those people sayin' why. Isn't it obvious? Its made to secure esport players rights! Like any other fucking union.

2017-06-18 20:07

True, but its hltv

2017-06-18 20:57

Wow awesome news! Hopefully unions like these will form in other countries as well. There's power in a union

thank you Mr.xyp9x

2017-06-18 20:11

oooooh Good Guy Xyp9x

2017-06-18 20:12

I do believe its an absolutely right thing to do. Good part is that its inspired by a bunch of famous players from Denmark. Good luck guys, community is important for everyone!

2017-06-18 20:16

too many young danes starting to appear in the scene, better secure our market share against those pesky competitors.

Thats exactly what fallen did here in brazil, created Games Academy and former some players from immortals nowadays

2017-06-18 20:18

That's nothing like this... wtf? This is a wokers union ment to represent players and give legal advice.

2017-06-18 21:49

Nice

2017-06-18 20:21

Nice Except gaming isn't a sport... Just admit that people lol But nice for the players rights

It's a sport allright, just not athletics. Sport is about the competition, the will to win.

2017-06-18 21:51

That's a competition, not a sport. You don't have to win in a sport for it to be a sport lol

2017-06-18 22:07

+1 competitive video gaming or cybersport

2017-06-18 22:58

It's literally a Sport. I don't really think it matters which kind of sport you categorize it as, it's still a sport by definition :) I wouldn't say that they are athletes though. People tend to confuse those two terms, exactly as LimeyGaming pointed out. (Except for his definition of Sport).

2017-06-18 23:03

you know there's only >one< cyberathlete in our online video gaming community, the 1993 1994 back-to-back blockbuster video game champion DrDisRespect-ect-ect-ect....

2017-06-18 23:19

I rest my case.

2017-06-18 23:09

It is by definition a Sport. If people were to admit that it wasn't, they would literally be incorrect.

2017-06-18 23:05

It isn't a sport. Isn't a real sport anyway. It's an Esports, different really. You have fat unhealthy fucks that can play Esports.

"You have fat unhealthy fucks that can play Esports." Which point is this supposed to prove? Definition of Sport: sportaccord.com/about/membership/definit.. Therefore: The only requirement for a Sport is that it requires an element of competition. CHESS is a sport. "eSport" is BY DEFINITION a real Sport. The end.

2017-06-19 00:19

Keep tjhinking that :D

2017-06-19 01:40

Well at least you were man enough to admit that you've been put in your place.

2017-06-19 01:52

Nope. You are wrong, it isnt a sport lol.

2017-06-19 02:03

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

2017-06-19 08:29

They indeed have many clans. But what are the rule / code of ethics as a member of the union.

2017-06-18 20:29

no youre not an athlete

gg xyp

2017-06-18 20:49

Nice one papa xypyx

2017-06-18 20:51

good guy xypyx helps fellow danes to not choke

2017-06-18 20:54

Is gonna be more like SCAM Union lulz... If for real... Good luck with that, it would be perfect if every country would have it the union likes this... Xyp9x make it global union, not only for danish players :(

2017-06-18 20:58

Very nice!

2017-06-18 21:28

Impressive, gj Xyp9x

2017-06-18 21:29

The amount of people who have zero fucking clue how actual unions work is astounding. Abusive and corrupt unions that exists various places around the world are honestly not really unions, since they create problems and issues for its members, which kinda contradicts the purpose of the union. Unions in Denmark actually makes it EASIER for most employer to handle a lot of issues, since there is really no unknowns in most situations for either sides. The only place where unions are an issue in Denmark are in little scummy places that want to break the rules/laws to either save money or do shady business.

2017-06-18 21:32

You gotta understand that most people on hltv are under 20, aka probably never had a real job. Then add the fact that there is a large part of people from lowdeveloped countries where unions are corrupt/non-existent. Which makes it even more uncomprehensible for them what this is all about. It's a really great move from xyp9x, +rep on this. Great leap forward for esports in and by dk.

+1 Agree, not like my country though, many potentials, but dropped out by pesky, corrupt politician, and religion matter.

2017-06-18 22:03

a huge leap forward as this is actually a recognized body they are partnered with aswell as having people who are capable in their job.

2017-06-18 21:35

inb4 player unions are banned form ESL

2017-06-18 22:15

I'll copy my comment from Reddit to give some clarity on what all of this is, as someone who is from Denmark and tangentially has worked with workers unions in relation to my studies. Yeah, I understand the confusion, the problem really stems from Xyp9x's phrasing and translation. They didn't really create anything, at least not from what I understand reading the articles, rather they joined an existing union, that specializes in representing sports professionals. A better way of saying it would be "we managed to make it possible for esports athletes to join the Danish Athletics Workers Union (still a little iffy on how to translate it correctly)". Another important thing to mention here is that this union only represents its members, if a player isn't a member of DEF they can't get help and DEF won't represent them in contract disputes, it's also not a union which organizations join. I hope this gives a little more clarity on what this is all about. EDIT: Scratch that about them not creating anything. I've looked a bit more at DEF, apparently they're an umbrella organization which consists of players unions in badminton, basketball and hockey, with members from other sports that for whatever reason isn't represented by their own union. It seems what Xyp9x and DEF has done is create a workers union for esports athletes, this union is a part of DEF like the other unions. I speculate that for now the esports players union will be very strongly tied to the DEF umbrella organization, as in DEF will help them with administrative costs, lawyer wages etc. until the esports players union has enough money and members to handle that itself. Keep in mind though, that i am not an expert on this, I've only heard a little about workers unions in connection to organization theory in my study, so take all of this with a grain of salt, but rest assured, this is nothing like a WESA. DEF is not in anyway tied to any TO or team organization, and it will not be a platform for a company like RFRSH to try and assert power on the global esports industry. This is purely to give esports athletes in Denmark representation and legal help, basically it's what Richard Lewis has spoken of creating, only this is limited to Denmark. If anyone else has more knowledge of workers unions in Denmark feel free to comment or correct possible mistakes.

2017-06-18 22:18

I did not expect to find such a high quality post on this website.

2017-06-19 01:27

Nah, I know the comment sections here is usually just used to troll, but I thought this was important to give some context on as I've seen many who thinks this is a RFRSH power move akin to what ESL has done with WESA.

2017-06-19 15:17