eSports
eSports team to emerge as an eSports empire – do not despise small beginnings
Being backed up and fostered by some of the giant names among sports and money managers for entertainment family dynasties and Hollywood power brokers, the esports team which started small will promptly emerge as an esports empire.
The Vision Esports LP, esports conglomerate launched by Stratton Sclavos, Rick Fox, and Amit Raizada has just closed on a $38 million investment from a host of investors led by the Creative Artists Agency and TPG Growth joint venture Evolution Media.
Rick Hess, the Founder and Co-Managing partner of Evolution Media, in a statement said: “Evolution Media has spent several years advising and analysing companies in the esports sector, and we’re particularly excited to partner with a world-class management team led by Stratton, whom we’ve known since his days running Strikeforce and the San Jose Sharks. Esports is one of the highest growth sectors within all media and entertainment. We could not be more bullish on the space and Vision’s market position.”
NBA superstar Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s Durant Company also joined to back up Vision Esports along with Shamrock Holdings — the personal investment vehicle for the Walt Disney family; the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team; and New York Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
The company’s roots stem from a now-apocryphal trip that Fox, an NBA all-star, and actor, took with his son to see an esports game at Madison Square Garden. Fox came away from the game with a respect for competitive gaming and a thirst to get on the ground floor of something he thought could be the next big thing.
With the help of Raizada, the two formed EchoFox and began recruiting a roster of players across a slate of different game titles.
Sclavos, the Former Chief Executive of tech company Verisign and the San Jose Sharks, wanted to come down to Los Angeles to start an investment fund. At a dinner with Fox and Raizada, he was recruited into the esports world and launched Vision Esports.
“You can’t deny the numbers,” Sclavos says. “It’s like the internet was way back in 95 and 96.”
And as the three men looked at what was going on within the burgeoning business of esports they saw opportunities to not to just own a team, but also own a league and create their own narrative franchise around the games, the teams, and their league. That is where the new capital comes in.
Through the new investment, money Vision Esports will take a majority position in the EchoFox franchise that was Fox’s brainchild and launched the group’s journey to the centre of the esports earth. The conglomerate is also going to include Twin Galaxies, which began in 1981 as the ultimate source for video game world records, stats, and player analytics and is now creating in esports leagues in conjunction with game publishers. Finally, the group used some cash to take a majority position in Vision Entertainment, which produces esports related stories and live streams for esports events.
Now all of the various esports properties will sit under one roof and the team at Vision Esports can work on rolling out their first league, a battle royale-based competition the Twin Galaxies’ H1Z1 Pro League which will begin its inaugural season in April 2018.
“This is just like pro sports,” says Scalvos. “Why wouldn’t you want to invest broadly across the spectrum so you have participation in the team side, participation in the league and the content? And we said, let’s be in all three parts of the ecosystem.”
The economics speaks for itself. According to Scalvos, leagues are wildly more profitable than teams. “Teams are great but leagues make 27 times the revenue,” he said.
The approach that Vision Esports is taking to building their league (around the wildly popular battle royale format) alongside game publisher Daybreak Games is a new model.
Activision/Blizzard and Riot chose not to partner with anyone for their competitive gaming leagues. Meanwhile, competitive gaming has existed outside of the control of game publishers for several years with Valve selling licenses to run tournaments worldwide, according to Scalvos.
While much of the capital went to investments, Vision Esports also built out its team. Adding Chris Nordling, a former Executive at MGM Resorts; Mike Mossholder who worked for the UFC; and Jace Hall who was with Warner Brothers Interactive.
“It took a while to get here but this esports thing is here,” said Scalvos.
Source: techcrunch.com
eSports
WEC24: PUBG MOBILE Tournament Concludes with Outstanding Success
The PUBG MOBILE tournament at WEC24 has officially wrapped up, delivering three days of competition that exceeded all expectations. With 10 out of 16 teams securing Chicken Dinners throughout the tournament, every map brought its own excitement, with the final rounds determining the champions and medal placements. We saw impressive viewership numbers with 776,454 unique viewers achieving 89,675 hours watched throughout the three days of competition.
On the competitive front, the Indonesian team set a WEC24 record by securing a Chicken Dinner with an astonishing 18 eliminations, packing a remarkable 28-point round.
Turkey stepped up to claim the title of WEC24 PUBG MOBILE Champions, delivering a fierce, precise performance and seizing the trophy in the final maps, a true champions’ style victory.
Congratulations are also due to Ukraine, who came very close to securing the gold. Consistent and determined to win, they kept fans and their nation on edge until the final rounds, ultimately securing the silver medal. Brazil took home the bronze, showcasing exceptional talent and positioning themselves as strong contenders for future titles.
Igor Nedeski, Esports Manager at IESF, praised the athletes, the tournament’s success, and the ongoing collaboration with Tencent: “The PUBG MOBILE tournaments have been one of the highlights of WEC for years now, and our ongoing collaboration and support from Tencent has played a huge role in its success. Congratulations to the medalists and to all athletes participating for their remarkable WEC24 performance.”
Micah Li, Senior Esports Manager at Tencent, “Congratulations to Turkey on becoming the WEC24 PUBG MOBILE Champions. We greatly value our partnership with IESF and the success we have achieved together over the years. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and delivering many more exceptional PUBG MOBILE tournaments in the future.”
With the PUBG MOBILE tournament concluded, IESF looks forward to further PUBG MOBILE competitions, as national teams from around the world improve year by year.
eSports
Mortal cements his name as face of Indian gaming, wins ‘Content Creator of the Year’ at global Esports Awards 2024
Naman Mathur, popularly known as Mortal, has added another feather to his illustrious cap by winning the coveted ‘Content Creator of the Year’ award at the Global Esports Awards 2024 Part 2 in Los Angeles on Friday. The grand ceremony saw Mortal triumph over globally renowned gamers like Tarik Celik, Ibai Llanos Garatea, and Marc ‘Caedrel’ Lamont, solidifying his stature as India’s biggest gamer.
Mortal’s groundbreaking victory marks a significant milestone not only in his personal journey but also for the Indian gaming community at large. The 27-year-old’s illustrious gaming career boasts numerous accolades, including championship titles in BMPS Season 1 (2022) and the PUBG Mobile Club Open (2019) as an esports athlete. He has amassed over 7 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 5.3 million followers on Instagram through his distinctive and impactful content, making him one of India’s most influential gaming personalities.
Speaking on this remarkable achievement, Naman Mathur aka Mortal, Co-founder, S8UL Esports, stated, “Winning this award is an incredible moment of pride, not just for me but for the entire Indian gaming and esports community. My journey began with a simple passion for gaming, and seeing that passion resonate with millions of people is truly humbling. I hope this achievement inspires more young gamers to chase their dreams and believe that they too can earn global recognition through dedication and hard work. I am deeply grateful to S8UL for being the backbone of my journey. This success is not mine alone- it belongs to every fan, every teammate, and every supporter who believed in me and in the potential of Indian esports.”
This was Mortal’s sixth consecutive nomination at the prestigious awards, a feat achieved by no other Indian gamer. Having been nominated for various categories over the years such as ‘Esports Mobile Player of the Year’, ‘Streamer of the Year’ and ‘Esports Personality of the Year’, Mortal’s victory in this edition is a testament to his immense contribution to growing the esports and gaming content ecosystem in India.
“This award holds a deeply personal meaning for me. Watching Mortal achieve this recognition feels like a shared victory- one that takes me back to where it all began. From the late nights to the sacrifices, every moment has led us here. Together, we’re not just creating history; we’re shaping the future of gaming and esports globally. A victory for him, a milestone for Indian esports!” said Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, Co-founder, S8UL Esports.
The Esports Awards is the most prestigious night in esports, dedicated to showcasing top-tier performance and innovation from players, teams, media, hardware providers, games, events, and personalities within the scene.
“When we first started this journey, we had no idea how far it would take us, but we always knew we were in this together. Mortal has always been like a brother to me, and seeing him win this award feels like a personal achievement. For him to be honoured with this accolade today is a reflection of the countless hours, effort and heart we’ve poured into building who we are and what we stand for,” commented Lokesh ‘Goldy’ Jain, Co-founder, S8UL Esports.
Mortal’s achievement reaffirms India’s rise as a formidable force in the global esports and gaming content landscape.
eSports
The World Esports Summit 2024 Is Here!
The IESF World Esports Summit returns this December to Busan, South Korea. Hosted at the Busan Esports Arena (BRENA) from December 5-6, the Summit will bring together prominent figures from Esports, global brands, government officials, and sports executives for a deep dive into the current Esports trends, its rapid transformations, and future challenges.
This year’s theme, “Building Bridges, Not Barriers, Through the Power of Esports,” will highlight the role of Esports in uniting cultures, ideas, and industries. Under the slogan “We Empower Success,” the
Summit provides a great platform for Esports experts to engage in meaningful discussions and sessions, sharing their insights on trends and presenting forward-looking ideas for our industry.
The event, strategically timed at the close of the competitive season, presents a perfect environment for reflection on the year’s biggest events, industry shifts, and the next steps for Esports. Attendees can follow the expert’s perspectives on topics like:
- (R)Evolution in Esports
- East Meets West
- Esports Integrity: The Role of Referees
- The Rise of International Esports Competitions
- (In Korean) Korea’s Secret Sauce etc.
Also, featured at this year’s event are the IESF World Esports Training Camp and the World Esports Referee Academy.
These are very important IESF programs that are aimed at advancing the skills and professional standards of the next generation of Esports leaders.
Join us in Busan for two days designed to inspire, connect, and empower the international Esports community.
Registration for the World Esports Summit is free and open to all interested attendees.
To register, please complete our online registration form: iesf.formstack.com/forms/wes2024_participation_registration
See you in Busan!
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