Esports Mogul, the eSports tournament and media company based in Australia, has roped in Jamie Skella as its Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer.

Skella will lead the operations for the business and focus on new strategic product initiatives to enhance the operations in Australia and South East Asia.

Skella had been a Counter-Strike player for Pantheon. He now owns an Australian esports bar, GG EZ Bar. He has worked as Head of User Experience for Australian Football League and Chief Product Officer of Horizon State.

Gernot Abl, Managing Director of Esports Mogul discussed the new hire in a statement: “The alignment between Mogul’s business and Jamie’s breadth of experience in esports, digital product, and startups, seems almost uncanny. I don’t think the fit could be more perfect. I’m excited that his arrival is one that is able to deliver value to all corners of the operation and help realise our enormous potential.”

Ahead of the 2019 NBA 2K League Draft, which is scheduled on March 5 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., the NBA 2K League has signed multiyear partnership with Champion Athleticwear. As per the agreement, the sportswear company will serve as the league’s official outfitter.

Champion will offer the NBA 2K League’s 21 teams game uniforms as well as warmup, travel and practice apparel. In-game avatars will also be outfitted in Champion-branded uniforms. Throughout the season, Champion will provide apparel for marquee events like the NBA 2K League Draft Clash, in-season tournaments and the NBA 2K League Finals. Starting today, fans can purchase NBA 2K League merchandise on Champion.com.

“We are thrilled to have an iconic brand like Champion as our official outfitter,” said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue. “Champion’s authentic designs and innovative products make them a great partner for the league, and we can’t wait to see our teams compete in their new uniforms this season.”

“The need for esports apparel is quickly evolving and Champion is pleased to be an integral part of this historical opportunity,” said Champion Group President-Global Activewear Jon Ram. “Being the official outfitters for the NBA 2K League is an exciting and pivotal opportunity for Champion to continue our evolution and expansion to outfit teams within the esports and traditional sports communities. Together we can push the boundaries and bring esports to a wider audience.”

China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (CMHRSS) has officially recognised esports as a profession. The new professions “esports operator” and “esports professional” are included in the 15 new professions approved by the government.
The other professions in the list include AI engineer, big data engineer and drone pilot.

CMHRSS defines “esports operators” as those who organise esports events or produce esports content, as well as those who increase the commercial value of esports through promotion and marketing.

“Esports professionals” are considered those who compete in tournaments, perform in events, or train with other professionals. It can also refer to those who analyse games or assist with training.