WOW Virtual Bundesliga

The Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) is the official esports competition of the Bundesliga, bringing together Germany’s top EA SPORTS FC24 players to compete at the highest level. With competitive gaming requiring precision, fairness, and zero interruptions, a stable, ultra-low-latency network is essential. For the VBL Playoffs, Network Fuel was brought in by ASP & LiveLee to deploy a robust, high-performance network infrastructure at Strassenkicker Base in Cologne—a unique venue founded by German football icon Lukas Podolski. More than just an esports event, the venue bridges the gap between real and digital football culture, making it an exciting yet challenging location for a high-stakes competition.

Setting up a flawless, redundant network in a venue not originally designed for esports required innovative solutions:

‍Optimizing Connectivity for Esports: The venue’s existing internet setup needed to be fine-tuned for ultra-low latency and stable performance.
Ensuring Competitive Integrity: A consistent and fair connection was essential to provide equal latency for all players competing at the highest level.
‍Supporting Broadcast & Production: The event’s streaming, sponsor feeds, and media coverage required a separate, high-priority network to ensure smooth content distribution.
‍Power & Redundancy: To prevent connectivity failures, redundant fiber paths were added in case of a fiber break or bad connection during the competition. Meanwhile, a generator-powered setup with UPS backup ensured continuous operation in the event of power fluctuations or failures.

To ensure a seamless and fair competition, we designed and deployed a high-performance network infrastructure tailored to the unique demands of the Virtual Bundesliga:

By bonding two existing internet lines, we created a single, rock-solid connection optimized for ultra-low latency, allowing all players to compete on an equal playing field with stable and consistent access to the EA servers.

Beyond the player network, we also established a dedicated, high-priority connection for the entire production team. This included separate network streams for broadcasting, sponsor integrations, and media coverage, ensuring uninterrupted live streaming and content distribution.

To safeguard against potential disruptions, we implemented fiber redundancy, providing an alternative path in case of a fiber cut or connection failure. Additionally, the entire production ran on a generator-backed power system, with critical IT infrastructure secured by UPS backups to prevent downtime.

By integrating these solutions, we delivered a robust, esports-ready network that met the demands of both competitive gaming and live event production.

Stable, equal-latency gameplay for all 32 competitors, maintaining a fair and competitive environment.
‍Flawless production and broadcasting, with uninterrupted sponsor streams and media coverage.
‍Zero downtime, thanks to network and power redundancy.

‍A world-class esports competition hosted in a dynamic and exciting venue, demonstrating how cutting-edge networking can elevate any location into an elite gaming arena.

After intense matchups, Jonny claimed the championship, defeating Levyfinn with dominant victories of 6-1 and 2-0 in the final.
His outstanding performance secured his place at the top of the Virtual Bundesliga.

A huge congratulations to Jonny—a well-earned victory in a flawlessly connected esports battleground!

The Virtual Bundesliga Playoffs at Strassenkicker Base highlighted the importance of high-performance networking in esports.

With the right infrastructure, any venue—no matter its primary function—can be transformed into a world-class competitive stage. As esports continues to grow, Network Fuel remains committed to delivering cutting-edge network solutions that power seamless gameplay, uninterrupted production, and ultimate reliability for the most demanding events in competitive gaming.