Esports Archives - Page 2 of 8 - Front Office Sports

by Ed Moran

Recent $12M Investment Accelerates Nerd Street Gamers’ Rapid Growth

By Ed Moran

Oct 18, 2019

The latest success story in 2019 for Nerd Street Gamers is raising $12 million.
Nerd Street Gamers CEO and co-founder John Fazio hopes to see upwards of 70 esports facilities developed in the near future.

When Nerd Street Gamers was founded in 2011, CEO and co-founder John Fazio said the goal was simple: “to bring competitive gaming to everybody and increase the number of opportunities in life that they get from gaming.” Now, as esports and gaming has exploded over the last eight years, NSG has grown by leaps and bounds alongside it. In 2018, the company had 277% revenue growth year over year. Topping that this year is the news that it has raised […]

Esports

by Danni Santana

Magic Gaming’s Growth Tied to Basketball, Esports Crossover Strategy

By Danni Santana

Oct 17, 2019

The Orlando Magic franchise sees an opportunity to grow its brand through esports to appeal more to younger generations.
Magic Gaming team sponsors include the likes of Papa John’s, Box Water, Full Sail University, and Orlando Health.

It’s peculiar to think of an esports team backed by a prominent NBA sports franchise as a startup. But that’s exactly what most teams in the NBA 2K League consider themselves. Case in point: Magic Gaming, the esports arm of the Orlando Magic. The NBA 2K League, comprised of 23 teams, was founded in 2017 in the midst of what was a seismic shift in how investors and the sports business industry began to view competitive gaming. Its popularity is […]

Esports

by Pat Evans

Overtime Expanding Esports Strategy From Team Ownership to Content

By Pat Evans

Oct 16, 2019

Overtime, the sports media network focused on grabbing Gen Z, is making a bigger play in esports. The company recently hired Chris Toussaint as head of esports, a position which will allow the 20-year-old seasoned esports professional to lead both the media position of Overtime as well as the company’s Fortnite team. Toussaint has spent the past seven years in the industry, including the past two with Magic Gaming building its NBA 2K organization. “If you look at how we’ve […]

Esports

by Ed Moran

Player Wellness Campaign Promotes Healthy Living For Esports Teams

By Ed Moran

Oct 14, 2019

Even though he was a competitive gaming novice when he joined esports organization Gen.G as its vice president of strategic partnerships last March, Martin Kim caught on quickly to the stereotypes surrounding gamers: They play too many video-games – many of which are violent – and they don’t exercise enough. When he worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011 to 2017, Kim noted the team’s interest in educating its ballplayers about mental health. They had a sports psychologist on […]

Esports

by Michael McCarthy

Why The Washington Post Chose To Cover Esports

By Michael McCarthy

Oct 11, 2019

A few years ago, Washington Post assignment editor/producer Mike Hume was hanging with a former colleague from ESPN talking about the growth of esports. What if the daily newspaper launched an esports section, thought Hume. And covered it with the same determination and smarts that’s won the paper 47 Pulitzer prizes? Three years later, Hume’s brainstorm has become a reality. On October 15, the Post will roll out Launcher, a new subsection of the sports department devoted to video games, […]

Esports

by Ed Moran

Complexity Gaming Finds Home In GameStop Performance Center

By Ed Moran

Oct 1, 2019

The Dallas Cowboys know first-hand what a top-of-the-line team headquarters and practice facility can do for an organization’s business as well as its players and employees, opening the 91-acre, $1.5 billion The Star in 2016. After the Cowboys acquired a majority stake of esports organization Complexity Gaming in November 2017, CEO Stephen Jones saw an opportunity where a new facility could help take things to the next level. That led to the creation of the GameStop Performance Center, an 11,000-square-foot […]

Esports

by Ian Thomas

Dignitas Looks To Level Up With Capital Raise, New Parent Company

By Ian Thomas

Sep 26, 2019

Dignitas, one of the longest standing esports organizations, is using a new round of funding to form a new parent company helping it invest further into sports and entertainment. The organization, which was founded back in 2003, was acquired in September 2016 by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, who also owns and operates the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers, among other investments. In June 2019, Dignitas merged with Clutch Gaming, an esports team owned by Fertitta Entertainment, which is […]

Esports

by Pat Evans

How 3 Big Brands Navigate Esports Partnerships Landscape

By Pat Evans

Sep 26, 2019

As brands look to solidify their standing with the next generation of consumers, they’re turning to esports with more aggressive partnership strategies. Among the brands leading the way in esports sponsorships are AT&T, Bud Light and Honda, all of which see the potential in an industry growing at a rapid clip with strong consumer engagement. According to Deloitte, 30% of U.S. consumers pay for a gaming subscription service and 41% play a video game at least weekly. For a brand […]

Esports

by Ian Thomas

Riot Games Sees More Deals Ahead Around League Of Legends

By Ian Thomas

Sep 23, 2019

As League Of Legends heads into its World Championship season, developer Riot Games said that interest in corporate partnerships around the game is at an all-time high. Naz Aletaha, head of global partnerships at Riot Games, said that there has been an “influx of interest from world-class and globally recognized brands at both the global and regional level.” Last month, Riot Games expanded its relationship with Mastercard, signing a multi-year deal with the brand with it becoming the exclusive financial […]

Esports

by Ian Thomas

Overwatch League Signs Multi-Year Deal With Kellogg Around Cheez-It and Pringles

By Ian Thomas

Aug 29, 2019

Kellogg is the latest company to partner with the Overwatch League, signing a multi-year deal with the esports property that will include co-marketing initiatives around its Cheez-It and Pringles products. The deal will begin alongside the 2019 Overwatch League Playoffs, which begin in earnest on September 5 and culminate with its Grand Finals on September 29 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. As part of the deal, the Cheez-It Grooves and Pringles Wavy brands will be the presenting sponsor […]