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Esports Entertainment Group Closes Over Subscribed Financing with Total Proceeds of $1.2 Million to Launch Esports Wagering Platform and Operations $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 1:23 PM on Thursday, May 18th, 2017

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  • Financing represents a seminal event in the future of both the Company and the esports industry
  • Proceeds of the financing will be used to launch online Esports gambling platform in June

ST. MARY’S, ANTIGUA–(May 18, 2017) – VGambling Inc./Esports Entertainment Group Inc. (OTCQB: GMBL) (or the “Company”), a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering, is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced financing, for total proceeds of $1,200,000.

On February 6, 2017, the Company announced it had secured a financing commitment of $850,000 through Denver, Colorado based First Capital Ventures (“First Capital”). Upon closing, First Capital proceeds totalled $600,000, while high net worth accredited investors contributed the remaining proceeds.

This financing represents a seminal event in the future of both the Company and the esports industry. Proceeds of the financing will be used to launch our online Esports gambling platform in June which, upon launch, will be fully licensed and the highest regulated esports gambling site on the planet. Based on feedback received to date from industry professionals and Sport Betting Super Affiliates, the Company has good reason to believe its safe and secure esports gambling platform will provide a strong competitive advantage.

In addition to launch of our platform, proceeds from this financing will also be used to execute our business development strategy for the remainder of the year, including exhibiting at the world’s biggest esports conferences in the coming months.

Gary Graham, President & CEO of First Capital, stated, “Esports Entertainment Group is currently the only North American pure public vehicle for participating in the global esports phenomenon. We believe the company represents both an optimal esports entry point and a clear path to investor liquidity. We look forward to working with the Company on subsequent financings.”

Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group, stated, “I want to first thank Gary and his team at First Capital, as well as, all the investors who participated in our financing. Along with the press release earlier today announcing our new name, this news serves as a strong indication to both the investment and esports communities that Esports Entertainment Group is on the verge of launching operations and becoming a meaningful long-term player within the fast growing esports industry.”

NEW WEBSITE, TWITTER ACCOUNT & ONLINE INVESTOR RELATIONS

Our new corporate website (launching soon) can be found at www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com

Our new Twitter account is @eSportsEntGroup and can be found at https://twitter.com/eSportsEntGroup

Our new Online Investor Relations Community on AGORACOM can be found at https://agoracom.com/ir/EsportsEntertainmentGroup

About Esports Entertainment Group

Esports Entertainment Group Inc. is a licensed online gambling company specifically focused on esports wagering. Esports Entertainment intends to offer wagering on esports events in a fully licensed, regulated and secured platform to the global esports audience, excluding the United States. In addition, Esports Entertainment intends to offer users from around the world the ability to participate in multi-player video games tournaments online for cash prizes. Esports Entertainment is led by a team of industry and technical experts from the online gambling and video game industries, esports, marketing, legal and financial professionals. The Company maintains offices in St. Mary’s, Antigua and Barbuda. Esports Entertainment common stock is listed on the OTCQB under the symbol GMBL. For more information please visit www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com.

Our Online Investor Relations Community at http://agoracom.com/ir/eSportsEntertainmentGroup provides shareholders with the ability to post IR questions, receive answers and collaborate with fellow shareholders in a fully moderated environment.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.

 

Contact Information

VGambling Changes Name to Esports Entertainment Group in Anticipation of Platform and Operations Launch $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:35 PM on Thursday, May 18th, 2017

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  • Announced its recent name change to Esports Entertainment Group, Inc.
  • Anticipation of imminent launch of eSports online wagering platform in June
  • Online wagering platform will trigger the start of our corporate and business development programs, including eSports industry and trade conferences around the world

ST. MARY’S, ANTIGUA–(May 18, 2017) – VGambling Inc. (OTCQB: GMBL) (or the “Company”), a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on eSports wagering, is pleased to announce its recent name change to Esports Entertainment Group, Inc.

The Company elected to change its name for several reasons, first and foremost is the imminent launch of our eSports online wagering platform in June, which will be supported by both investor relations and media relations campaigns focused on the eSports industry. Our new company name will provide us far better name recognition amongst investors and within the industry, as well as, far greater search engine relevancy on both traditional and social media search engines.

Secondly, the imminent launch of our online wagering platform will also trigger the start of our corporate and business development programs, including eSports industry and trade conferences around the world, as well as, investor conferences in North America and Europe. Our new company name will provide us with greater brand recognition.

Finally, though the main focus of the Company will be its eSports online wagering platform, we intend to expand our scope of operations within the eSports entertainment and gaming industry over the next 12 months and beyond.

Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group, stated, “We are pleased to announce our corporate name change because it sends a signal to the world that we are preparing to imminently launch both our eSports wagering platform and corporate development programs. This is an incredibly exciting time for our shareholders, pre-registered customers, partners and the entire eSports industry.”

NEW WEBSITE, TWITTER ACCOUNT & ONLINE INVESTOR RELATIONS

Our new corporate website, set for imminent launch, can be found at www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com

Our new Twitter account is @eSportsEntGroup and can be found at https://twitter.com/eSportsEntGroup

Our new Online Investor Relations Community on AGORACOM can be found at https://agoracom.com/ir/EsportsEntertainmentGroup

About Esports Entertainment Group

Esports Entertainment Group Inc. is a licensed online gambling company specifically focused on eSports wagering. Esports Entertainment intends to offer wagering on eSports events in a fully licensed, regulated and secured platform to the global eSports audience, excluding the United States. In addition, Esports Entertainment intends to offer users from around the world the ability to participate in multi-player video games tournaments online for cash prizes. Esports Entertainment is led by a team of industry and technical experts from the online gambling and video game industries, eSports, marketing, legal and financial professionals. The Company maintains offices in St. Mary’s, Antigua and Barbuda. Esports Entertainment common stock is listed on the OTCQB under the symbol GMBL. For more information please visit www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com.

Our Online Investor Relations Community at http://agoracom.com/ir/eSportsEntertainmentGroupprovides shareholders with the ability to post IR questions, receive answers and collaborate with fellow shareholders in a fully moderated environment.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.

CONTACT INFORMATION

A beginner’s guide to enjoying eSports $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:20 PM on Monday, May 1st, 2017
  • Reader offers an introduction to watch eSports through League Of Legends, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: GO.

I’m about to talk about three games I’ve never played. Not even once. I’ve seen them played. I’ve seen them played in theatres, in conference halls, on streaming websites like Twitch and YouTube, and in some extreme examples in stadiums. It’s the part of gaming that can be the hardest to fathom, and that’s the psyche of a person who watches eSports. As if to reinforce the unacceptableness of it Microsoft Word angrily underlines the word eSports as I type it. As if to say, ‘That’s not a word, silly boy, don’t be so ridiculous’.

But it clearly is, as evidenced by its growing popularity, I think it’s worth trying to understand it if only as a phenomenon of our hobby in its own right. To give people a bit of background knowledge, and to try remove some of the barriers to entry for people curious to find out what it’s all about, this is intended as a beginners’ guide, a cheat sheet if you will. I will leave judgment on eSports’ worth as entertainment or its validity as a sport for you to decide

There are a number of game genres which lead the way for eSports, we have MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) such as LoL (League Of Legends) Dota 2 (Defence Of The Ancients), Heroes Of The Storm, and SMITE. We have first person shooters such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, Halo, and Call Of Duty. And finally card games, both physical like Magic The Gathering and digital such as Hearthstone

These games have a few things in common: they usually either require great skill, twitch sensitivity, or immense brainpower to execute perfectly every game. Note, I’m not saying that they should be great games to play, just that they require great skill to play. That is the primary draw for the top level eSports titles.

Most of the games are based on PC, or the tournaments are largely ran on PC. This is probably for a broad range of factors. PCs are more customisable for the user, the game may have its biggest audience on PC, PCs may be more stable and suitable for tournament play, or it may just be because Twitch has led the way in making eSports accessible to people and has been available for longer on the PC platform

The most passionate fans make up the bulk of an eSports games audience, and even as a newcomer you are expected to enter with knowledge of the jargon and terms used. In my experience this is the biggest exclusionary factor of all eSports, their love of acronyms, in-jokes, obscure memes, and the lack of any explanation

The three biggest players in eSports would be Dota 2, League Of Legends, and Counter-Strike, so two MOBAs and a shooter. It is fair to say that MOBAs dominate the scene, so what are these games?

Most MOBA games follow a similar template, so I am going to give a very general overview so you get the idea. To keep it simple I will limit my description to the characteristics of the two genre giants: LoL and Dota 2. The setup is of two teams of five players who face each other across an arena where the objective is to capture a key piece of the opposing team’s base. In between the teams the arena usually consists of broad paths known as lanes, parts with winding paths known as jungle, and some form of defensive fortifications usually known as towers for each team – up to the halfway point of the map.

The players themselves take roles as heroes to defend their base by taking up one of the lanes and battling their counterparts, hoping to push them back towards their own base and destroying the defences as they go. They are also supported by computer-controlled allies who will mindlessly attack any opposition they meet. These are referred to as either creeps or minions. The spare human members usually roam the winding paths in the jungle and support their teammates in their task attempting to ambush or ‘gank’ opposing team members.

Players level up as the game progresses and can purchase items using gold earned in the game to build up their avatar. All progress is reset at the start of each game. The skill lies in the deep knowledge of the game, players’ positional awareness, and the ability to predict what their opponent will do. The very best players can seem clairvoyant and creative as they build their player up in surprising and unusual ways.

….

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/01/a-beginners-guide-to-enjoying-esports-readers-feature-6607864/#ixzz4fqIxnBC4

Esports en route to becoming an Olympic sport $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:07 AM on Tuesday, April 18th, 2017
  • Alibaba is venturing out of e-commerce and further into esport
  • Company’s sports subsidiary, Alisports, has joined with the Olympic Council of Asia to bring esports to the Asian Games.

Esports will appear at next year’s Games in Indonesia as a “demonstration,” Alibaba said, but will be a medal sport in China’s 2022 Games. The Asian Games are recognised by the International Olympic Committee, meaning in 2022 esports will be an official Olympic sport.

Esports is a growing market that is expected to garner 191 million global enthusiasts by the year’s end, according to research firm Newzoo. As of last April, the industry was worth over $450 million — a number expected to grow to $1 billion by 2019.

That growth is manifesting in many ways. Not only is esports now technically an Olympic sport, the NBA will soon be creating its own esports league, and there are gaming schools to groom the next generation of pros.

Alibaba’s affinity with the market is not new. The company invested $150 million in the International e-Sports Federation last year and organised a worldwide tournament featuring a prize pool of more than $5.5 million.

Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/esports-olympic-games-asia/

The eSports competitive video gaming market continues to attract investors while growing revenues $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:40 PM on Monday, April 10th, 2017
  • Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly
  • By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for “lol” does not produce “laughing out loud” as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other’s homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it’s understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis – The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group’s $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter’s Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don’t watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Robert Elder, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

  • eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
  • There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
  • The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
  • The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
  • The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
  • Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
  • Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.
  • Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
  • Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
  • Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
  • Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
  • Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

  • The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
  • The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
  • eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
  • eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/esports-market-growth-ready-for-mainstream-2017-3

Gaming for a living? It’s a real thing $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:35 AM on Monday, April 10th, 2017
  • Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was the challenge with $10,000 at stake as teams of four went head-to-head to work their way up the bracket
  • Infinite Warfare was the challenge with $10,000 at stake as teams of four went head-to-head to work their way up the bracket

For two days this past weekend, local video game aficionados were invited to bring their A-game to the Machine Shop for the first ever Sault Ste. Marie UMG Pro-Am tournament. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was the challenge with $10,000 at stake as teams of four went head-to-head to work their way up the bracket. The entire eSports event was broadcast on Twitch.tv and Microsoft’s new streaming platform, Beam.

“A lot of people identify video game tournaments with where they came from – college dormitories and things like that. Around 2010, we got the ability to broadcast tournaments and that’s really what’s made eSports the billion dollar industry that it is,” explained Cynn Smith, event lead at UMG. “In many way we emulate traditional sports – we have analysts, we have commentators, we have massive production needs.”

The world of eSports has grown very quickly, Smith said, and the players responsible for that surge are now gaming as professionals. While traditional sports recruit new talent from college, eSports recruitment is a bit more challenging.

“It’s actually rare for new teams to show up,” he said. “We’re looking at places like Sault Ste. Marie, and other places in Canada and around the world where we can find that new talent – getting them on stage, getting them on camera – so they can be noticed. We see ourselves as a stepping stone for their career just as much as a provider for entertainment.”

And gaming can definitely lead to a career. Upper echelon eSports teams can make a living at it, Smith said, but not from tournament prize money. The real money comes by way of corporate sponsorships.

“That’s way we keep our production and broadcast quality high,” he said. “We’re making these amateurs look like professionals, and that’s going to be the number one thing they need to get sponsors and to go full time. There’s a lot of teams that can and do this full time.”

While the majority of participating teams in the Sault Ste. Marie UMG Pro-Am tournament were local, a few traveled from out of town for the event including the reigning COD world champion SetToDestroyX. The Canadian team managed to live up to its title, taking home first place and $6,000 of the prize pool. 1 Hype placed second followed by PrimeTime Nation in third.

Source: https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/gaming-for-a-living-thats-a-thing-7-photos-584514

Joe Montana talks of esports: ‘We believe in the space’ $GMBL.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:31 AM on Friday, March 31st, 2017

Joe Montana said he doesn’t take losing well, and after getting beaten by his kids in video games he lost interest in playing. But investing in esports, however, is a whole different ballgame for the NFL Hall of Famer. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The Cloud9 organization and its co-founder and CEO Jack Etienne are no strangers to winning, having won the North American LCS in its inaugural season in the summer of 2013.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and Hall of Famer Joe Montana is also no stranger to victory, just on a different playing field. He was named Super Bowl MVP three times in his career and lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy on four occasions in the 1980s and early ’90s.

Together, they both hope to continue their winning ways. Montana and his seed stage fund Liquid 2 Ventures invested in Cloud9 over the past week, along with other notable athletes such as Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants and Andrew Bogut of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For Montana, one of the winningest players in NFL history, the rapid growth of esports was an opportunity that he and his partners couldn’t pass up, even if his children continually beat him down in the world of video games.

“[My background] in video games has been very limited,” Montana said. “[It’s] because I hate to lose.”

Montana’s four children, in their mid-20s and early 30s, passed up the MVP quarterback when it came to video games, and made him a less-than-active participant. As an observer, however, Montana has already made moves to enter the video-game scene, helping create Montana 17, a mobile virtual reality football game for VR systems like the Samsung Gear.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Etienne has been in the esports scene for five years now, first a manager for Team SoloMid before co-founding Cloud9. Even during his days while working at Crunchyroll, the leading streaming anime service, the C9 CEO knew one day esports had the potential to be as big as it’s getting now.

“I did believe we were heading in this direction” Etienne said of his team’s growth over the past few years. Starting as just a League of Legends club, the organization has expanded across the esports landscape, having players and teams in such large competitive titles as Overwatch, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

With the added funding, Cloud9 is always on the search for the next big esport, and for Etienne, it’s the fans, not the game publisher or title itself, that interests the organization in terms of expanding.

“Twitch is a fantastic tool to find what people are watching,” Etienne said. “There is a lot of research you can do on Twitch. H1Z1 and games [in the same genre] are getting a lot of attention.”

In the day and age where every game publisher with a new multiplayer title wants to become an esport, Cloud9 believes in trusting what the fans support instead of simply backing the video game with the most marketing behind it. If the fans flock to a video game on Twitch, C9 takes notice.

With that being said, though, Etienne says that although the organization is looking to expand, the added investment will also be a boon toward its already established teams, giving them more funds to help them improve.

“We believe in the team. We believe in the space.”

Joe Montana

In the whirlwind of traditional sport owners and stars investing in esports over the past year, the NFL has seemingly lagged behind the competition. The NBA has had the biggest impact in competitive gaming, with stars and former stars like Rick Fox, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal becoming faces for various organizations. Montana, the biggest NFL name to attach himself to esports, says he believes there are a few factors for that.

“Part of it is the NFL, part of is coincidence,” Montana said. “On average, until recently at least, NBA players made more than players in the NFL. Also, NBA players are traveling all the time, and are on the road three-to-five days a week.”

In the NFL, players can have more of a stable home life. They play on the road only eight times a season, not counting the playoffs, and when you’re a family man, being able to play games is a luxury. NBA players, especially younger ones, bring their favorite consoles along for long road trips, playing with their teammates in the hotel to kill time while away from their families. Additionally, the NBA has fewer traditional owners compared to the NFL, so it’s not surprising why it’s now that the NFL and its representatives are discovering the potential of esports.

A similarity Montana found between esports and NFL is the newfound training regimens. When asked how he felt about esports moving away from the old stereotype of players sitting in a room guzzling Mountain Dew and devouring Doritos, Montana said, “Anything you do, you’re better when you’re healthier. That [stereotype] is what linemen used to be.”

As esports advances to match traditional sports in mental and health training, it also appears to be heading toward a franchising system. Blizzard, for example, announced the upcoming Overwatch League in North America would be built around geolocation and owners bidding where they would want their team to play.

Etienne sees this as the inevitable future of competitive gaming if it wants to reach its full potential. “I think for esports to evolve, these franchises need to happen,” he said. “Franchise models are critical.”

On the topic of fan support and the difference between esports fans primarily following teams because of personalities over any sort of allegiance with a city, Montana isn’t deterred. He cites a story about meeting a die-hard 49ers fan in the heart of Miami Dolphins country, so he says he believes fans can come in all different shapes. “To [esports] fans, it’s the same as a [traditional] sport to them. They’re crazy. It can survive the way it is.”

Montana knows that profits won’t come easy or right away. He and his group, especially when coming into a space so early, are aware of the risks and are confident that their investment in Cloud9, and esports in general, will bear fruit sooner rather than later.

“We believe in the team,” Montana said. “We believe in the space.”

Source: http://www.espn.co.uk/esports/story/_/id/19027086/joe-montana-esports-believe-space

Route Mobile founder to invest $10m in eSports, launch online league $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:59 PM on Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
  • Ronnie Screwvala and Nazara Games, the founder of Route Mobile Rajdip Gupta is planning his eSports venture – COBX Gaming – that will invest $10 million to promote eSports in India
  • COBX will launch an online domestic league, and an international league besides building an Indian team for international eSports championships

MUMBAI: 2017 is turning out to be a watershed year for India’s eSports industry as three companies have announced plans to put big money to launch their respective leagues in the country.

After Ronnie Screwvala and Nazara Games, the founder of Route Mobile Rajdip Gupta is planning his eSports venture – COBX Gaming – that will invest $10 million to promote eSports in India. COBX will launch an online domestic league, and an international league besides building an Indian team for international eSports championships.

According to the Netherlands-based market intelligence company Newzoo, eSports is a $99.6 billion industry globally, as of 2016. Led by China, the Asia Pacific region controls 47% of the total market and 58% of the growth in the global games market comes from the Asia-Pacific region.

Gupta, who recently sold 10% stake in Route Mobile for $23 million, told ETthat COBX wants to create awareness and give an opportunity and a platform to Indian players. “This is the right time to invest in eSports, and it could not have been better. There are other people trying different things in this space, but I want to create awareness and make eSports a career option for serious players,” Gupta said.

His plan is to launch an online league in the second half of April, inviting participation from any team in India. “We have kept the total prize money of `10 lakh for the online championship, which may not sound big, but will surely attract gamers. The idea is to get the right talent and create a team that will take part in International majors,” he added.

COBX will also launch the first international eSports league in India by the end of this year. “We are focused on getting teams from 16 different countries in December for the international league, which will have a prize money of $300,000,” he added.

Meet PSG’s latest signings – an esports team $GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:36 AM on Tuesday, March 21st, 2017
  • Predicted to become a £1bn industry by 2020

With esports – organised, competitive computer gaming – predicted to become a £1bn industry by 2020, traditional sports clubs are looking to get involved in this fast-emerging world.

As part of a BBC State of Sport week examining different topics and issues across sport, meet Paris St-Germain’s League of Legends team, who are representing the club in online tournaments.

They live in Berlin, practise 14 hours a day and prepare like professional sportsmen.

READ MORE: Esports ‘to double audience by 2020’.

READ MORE: What is esports?

Source: http://www.bbc.com/sport/39331794

eSports revenues estimated to reach $3.5bn by 2021$GMBL.us

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:24 AM on Tuesday, March 14th, 2017
  • Rapid rise in consumption of eSports and streamed games content will drive $3.5 billion (€3.29bn) in revenues by 2021, up from $1.8 billion in 2017

A study from Juniper Research has found that a rapid rise in consumption of eSports and streamed games content will drive $3.5 billion (€3.29bn) in revenues by 2021, up from $1.8 billion in 2017.

Juniper’s report found that whilst the subscription model, as seen on platforms such as Twitch, will contribute significant revenues to the industry, it will be advertisers who reap rewards; with almost 90 per cent of eSports & ‘Let’s Play’ viewers also watching ad-supported casual games streams in 2021.

Alongside eSports viewership, the popularity of casual ‘Let’s Plays’ (commentary on streams of the playing of videogames) has accelerated dramatically.

The research found that much of this relates to viewers seeking to improve their own gameplay, alongside a dedicated following of individual broadcasters on platforms including Twitch and YouTube. It argued that companies seeking to cash-in on the trend should either work with a streamer who aligns with their values, or closely monitor content which is to be published in public.

Research author Lauren Foye explained: “As we saw following PewDiePie’s recent controversial videos, a breach of a sponsor’s values can result in the termination of lucrative partnerships. Nevertheless, a rise in PewDiePie’s channel engagement following the scandal highlights a quandary sponsors are facing.”

Whilst advertising, and increasingly tips, are dominant in the viewership of casual games streaming, eSports content has begun to be monetised through alternative means. Juniper believes that the sale of merchandise, time-limited content (such as in-game items), and access passes, will form part of a wider trend to drive the industry forwards. As we saw with DOTA 2’s 2016 ‘The International’ tournament, sales of additional content boosted the prize pool by $18 million.

Source: http://advanced-television.com/2017/03/14/esports-revenues-to-reach-3-5bn-by-2021/