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Marijuana Company of America $MCOA Announces 504% Year-Over-Year Revenue Increase for First Quarter 2019 Financial Results $AERO $CBDS $CGRW $APH.ca $GBLX $ACG $ACB $WEED.ca $HIP.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:28 AM on Tuesday, May 21st, 2019
  • Total revenues were $114,810 for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to $19,010 for the same period prior year, representing a 504% increase year-over-year.
  • The increase was driven by growth in demand and sales of its hempSMART products in conjunction with the Company’s global expansion program.

Growth Driven by Demand and Sales of hempSMART(TM) Products

ESCONDIDO, Calif., May 21, 2019 – – MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. (“MCOA” or the “Company”) (OTCQB: MCOA), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019.

First Quarter 2019 Financial and Operational Highlights:

  • Total revenues were $114,810 for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to $19,010 for the same period prior year, representing a 504% increase year-over-year. The increase was driven by growth in demand and sales of its hempSMART products in conjunction with the Company’s global expansion program.
  • Gross profit for the first quarter of 2019 increased to $74,932, compared to $8,564 for the same period prior year. Gross margins expanded to 65.3% in the first quarter of 2019, compared to 45% from the first quarter of 2018.
  • Total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2019 were $989,037, compared to $302,872 for the same period prior year, as a result of increases in SG&A associated with the growth of the Company’s dedicated associate sales program for its hempSMART sales.
  • Net loss from operations was $4.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to net income of $4.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. The previous year’s income was essentially due to gain in derivatives.
  • Usage of cash flow from operations decreased year-over-year to $207,098 for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, from a cash usage of $497,250 for the quarter ended March 31, 2018.
  • Total assets were $2,143,188 for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, an increase of 12% from $1,919,782 for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. The increase of total assets is due to an increase in cash, inventory and long-term investments that the Company made in the quarter.
  • Total liabilities were $8,087,340 for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to total liabilities of $5,053,887 for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. The increase of liabilities has largely to do with derivative liabilities increasing by $2.7 million and convertible notes issued during the quarter.
  • In January, Marijuana Company of America announced that its Scio, Oregon, Hemp Project was underway alongside its 2019 hemp growers license renewal.
  • The Company experienced a successful prelaunch of its hempSMART brand in the United Kingdom in January, followed by a U.S. Patent being issued for hempSMART Brain™ in February.
  • In March, the Company entered into a Letter of Intent with Natural Plant Extract of California to form a joint venture to operate a California cannabis delivery service named Viva Buds™. The agreement was completed in April.

“Our first quarter results demonstrate our focus on laying the foundation and investments to establish our presence in the high-growth cannabis, hemp and CBD markets,” said Mr. Don Steinberg, Chief Executive Officer of Marijuana Company of America. “During the quarter, we successfully prelaunched our hempSMART line of products in the United Kingdom and promoted them at Super Bowl LIII. Our hempSMART Brain™ product was also issued a U.S. Patent, followed by the exciting news of our engagement with Natural Plant Extract of California to form a joint venture to operate a cannabis delivery service. Our passion from the beginning has been on our hempSMART wellness products, which continue to successfully generate demand and interest worldwide. As a result, we have significantly expanded our hemp research and growth business. With our powerful consortium of partners and joint venture relationships, we believe we are strategically positioned to vertically integrate our operations and further increase our revenue potential.”

“Our first quarter results reflect the full deployment of our marketing strategies for our products and our commitment to grow and strengthen shareholder value,” said Mr. Jesus Quintero, Chief Financial Officer of Marijuana Company of America.”

Further details about the Company’s financial results are available in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q, available in the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.marijuanacompanyofamerica.com.

About Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
MCOA is a corporation that participates in: (1) product research and development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name hempSMART™, which targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated for medicinal and recreational use; and (4) the expansion of its business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industry as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment mature and develop.

About Our hempSMART Products Containing CBD
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized CBD as a safe and effective drug for any indication. Our products containing CBD derived from industrial hemp are not marketed or sold based upon claims that their use is safe and effective treatment for any medical condition as drugs or dietary supplements subject to the FDA’s jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” that are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities, and words such as “anticipate,” “seek,” intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan” or similar phrases may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition and the Company’s reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.

Contact:
[email protected]
888-777-4362

Corporate Communications Contact: 
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com 
212.418.1217 Office 
[email protected]

For more information, please visit the Company’s websites at:
MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com
hempSMART.com

Client Feature: GGX Gold Drilling for High Grade Gold Silver and Tellerium at Gold Drop $GGX.ca $APH.ca $TUE.ca $GOM.ca $TYE.ca $NNZ.ca $GTT.ca $AOT.ca $MTB.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 12:30 PM on Friday, May 17th, 2019

GGX Gold Hub on Agoracom

FULL DISCLOSURE: GGX Gold is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp

Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca – #HipHop & #Esports: The New Intersection Of Tech & Culture $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:21 AM on Friday, May 17th, 2019

SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More

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EGLX: TSX-V
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Hip Hop & ESports: The New Intersection Of Tech & Culture

  • As the esports industry rises in value, hip hop artists and entrepreneurs are seeing the big investment opportunities the sector provides.
  • Esports is believed to be the next wave of competitive entertainment and everyone is taking notice, since its expected to surpass $1 billion in revenue in 2019.

Kori Hale Contributor

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 03: Kenny Williams of team 100 Thieves in action during Esports Call Of Duty World League at Copper Box Arena on May 03, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)

As the esports industry rises in value, hip hop artists and entrepreneurs are seeing the big investment opportunities the sector provides. Esports is believed to be the next wave of competitive entertainment and everyone is taking notice, since its expected to surpass $1 billion in revenue in 2019. Hip hop in perpetuity is turning up the volume on esports growth by bringing in its loyal fan base.

The Breakdown You Need to Know

Esports is a subculture of gaming and hip hop is very prominent across the industry in several capacities. However, CultureBanx noted that early research on gaming culture alluded to the lack of industry diversity, both in terms of gender as well as ethnicity, and meant that for a long time, primarily white men dominated the American-based video game industry, that has clearly changed. It’s estimated that 380 to 400 million people worldwide will watch esports this year, including 165 million regular esports viewers. Additionally, research firm Newzoo estimated $700 million was spent on esports ventures.

Hip hop’s affinity for video games is not a new found love as these artists have included video games in their rhymes since the late 80s. Entertainers such as Drake and The Weeknd are already tapping into the cash flow of esports. Drake invested in esports company 100 Thieves in October of 2018, and last month The Weeknd invested in OverActive Media, the parent company of the Overwatch League franchise Toronto Defiant. Also, Sean “Diddy” Combs put several coins into high school esports initiative PlayVS in November 2018, following a $30.5 million Series B funding round. Play VS gives high school students access to competitions and scholarships.

Other rappers including XXXTentacion, Lil Pump, 21 Savage, Lil Yachty and Trippie Redd have played games, primarily Fortnite on Amazon owned Twitch. When Drake and Tyler “Ninja” Blevins teamed up to play Fortnite back in March of 2018, the stream broke records.

Gaming Clout

Between the high viewership numbers and the billions of dollars at stake, these numbers have even captured the attention of the NBA. Last year, they held a draft for the launch of their new esports league, selecting 102 professional players in a ceremony that matched its traditional basketball draft. Also, esports isn’t slowing down any time soon and the industry is ripe for cultivating and investing in up-and-coming talent. More than 50 colleges have esports programs and offer scholarships for players. Not to mention that video games have out earned all of Hollywood’s offerings and all record label projects combined over the last eight years and counting.

Hip hop’s impact on video games through esports has played a major role in various marketing campaigns to reach new markets. For example, following  a partnership with esports group Mousesport, German streetwear chain SNIPES released a video featuring rapper Rick Ross alongside the announcement of its new collection.

Sneaker culture has long been connected to hip hop and is now being intertwined with esports. In summer 2018, Drake’s 100 Thieves entered into a partnership with streetwear and sneaker reselling platform StockX. These professionals are on the path to become celebrities in their own right and will probably start signing major sneaker deals of their own.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/korihale/2019/05/16/hip-hop-esports-the-new-intersection-of-tech-culture/#5a58b8ac2e89

INTERVIEW: Star Navigation $SNA.ca Discusses Strategic Agreement With AMS Heli Design Providing Real-Time Patient Information and Flight Tracking

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:00 PM on Thursday, May 16th, 2019

CLIENT FEATURE: Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca Uniting Egaming Communities, $11M In 2018 Revenues, 80 Owned and Affiliated Websites $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:20 PM on Wednesday, May 15th, 2019

Why Enthusiast Gaming?

  • The fastest-growing online community of video gamers.
  • Exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue
  • Record Q4 revenue of $3.6 million, an increase of 50.8% YoY
  • Completed seven acquisitions in 2018, part of defined growth strategy
  • Cash flow positive and profitable
  • $180 Billion+ gaming industry / bigger than Hollywood and the music industry
  • Platform of 80+ gaming content websites and 75+ M active visitors every month from 1 website
  • Generating ~ 1 Billion ad requests per week through Enthusiast Gaming Media and partner publishers
  • Owns largest gaming expo in Canada with attendance of +30,000 in Oct 2018, supported by major corporate sponsors
  • Acquired significant interest in Waveform Entertainment, a leading Esports operator and tournament producer
  • Invested in Addicting Games, one of the largest online multiplayer game networks

North American Gaming Industry 

Enthusiast network has +75m visitors in network. Significant potential to capitalize on growing online gaming network

FULL DISCLOSURE: Enthusiast Gaming is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.

CLIENT FEATURE: $ZEN Graphene Solutions: Bulk Sampling to Supply 40 tons of 99.8% Purity Graphene Pre-Cursor Material $CVE.ca $DNI.ca $LLG.ca $FMS.ca $NGC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 1:40 PM on Wednesday, May 15th, 2019
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.agoracom.com/public/companies/logos/564424/hub/Zen_logo.jpg
  • The bulk sampling program is anticipated to be completed by early April 2019
  • The main purpose of the program is to recover a large sample of graphite to generate graphene product samples for market development purposes
  • This material will be subsequently purified to 99.8% and ultimately converted to graphene and graphene oxide for continued market development work.

About ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd.

ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd. is an emerging graphene technology solutions company with a focus on development of the unique Albany Graphite Project as a precursor graphene material product opportunity and product market development. The Albany Graphite Project provides the company with a competitive advantage in the potential graphene market as independent labs in Japan, UK, Israel, USA and Canada have demonstrated that ZEN’s Albany Graphite/Naturally PureTM easily converts (exfoliates) to graphene, using a variety of simple mechanical and chemical methods.

For further information:

Francis Dubé, Co-Chief Executive Officer
Tel: +1 (289) 821-2820
Email: [email protected]

ThreeD Capital Inc. $IDK.ca – #Ripple Exec: #Blockchain, #Crypto Will Have a Role in US Tech Independence $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:35 PM on Wednesday, May 15th, 2019

SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE) Led by legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a Canadian-based venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed small-cap companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More than just lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest small-cap exits. Click Here For More Information.

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Ripple Exec: Blockchain, Crypto Will Have a Role in US Tech Independence

  • “There is a broad discussion in Washington around 5G being dominated by foreign firms and the U.S. being reliant on foreign technology and foreign expertise… With blockchain and crypto, I think there’s a recognition now that these will be part of our future infrastructure… It’s important both for national security and from an economic perspective, that the U.S. is a leader in that.”

By Ana Alexandre

Technology needs to be a national issue for the United States, with digital currencies and blockchain to be recognized within that goal, according to Ripples’ Director of Regulatory Relations Ryan Zagone, at the Consensus 2019 conference on May 14.

Recently, legislators reintroduced the Token Taxonomy Act, that would exclude cryptocurrency from being classified as a security. The act also pursues the introduction of regulatory certainty for businesses and regulators in the U.S. blockchain industry, as well as clarifying conflicting state initiatives and regulatory rulings that have confused the issue.

Moreover, the announcement calls attention to the growing strength of digital asset markets and the blockchain industry both in Europe and China, and states that the Act is necessary in order to keep the U.S. competitive in the global market.

As reported in March, the number of lobbies working on blockchain technology issues in Washington D.C. tripled in 2018, reaching 33 projects in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to 12 in the same period of 2017. Jerry Brito, executive director at the non-profit organization Coin Center, suggested that the growth is driven by securities regulation.

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/ripple-exec-blockchain-crypto-will-have-a-role-in-us-tech-independence

ThreeD Capital Inc. $IDK.ca – #IBM Establishes 5 #Blockchain Principles To Drive Enterprise Adoption And Benefit Society $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:01 PM on Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE) Led by legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a Canadian-based venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed small-cap companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More than just lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest small-cap exits. Click Here For More Information.

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IBM Establishes 5 Blockchain Principles To Drive Enterprise Adoption And Benefit Society

  • As an early advocate for blockchain, IBM has been working vigorously to commercialize the technology through its enterprise-grade version of Hyperledger Fabric, known as IBM Blockchain.
  • Hyperledger Fabric currently empowers 1300 networks in the IBM blockchain cloud, 100 of which are live in production today.

Rachel Wolfson, Contributon

Following years of experimentation and the advancement of established live networks, IBM has now established a set of 5 “blockchain for good principles,” demonstrating how trusted and transparent enterprise blockchains can benefit organizations and society as a whole.

The principles, which are also outlined in an IBM blog post, are:

  1. Open is better
  2. Permissioned doesn’t mean private
  3. Governance is a team sport
  4. Common standards are common sense
  5. Privacy is paramount

When IBM’s CEO, Ginni Rometty, began commenting on data rights with respect to data analytics, we became inspired on the blockchain side. Over the past 3 years, we have worked with many clients and have gained perspectives that have driven these principles. There are ways to use blockchain technology that are critical and would lead to good outcomes, but let’s make sure we don’t leave that to guess work. That is how these 5 principles came about and it’s our responsibility to abide by them wisely and share them with others,” Jerry Cuomo, Vice President of IBM Blockchain and IBM Fellow, told me.

In order to better understand how each principle is being applied, Cuomo went into detail about the standards.

Open Is Better

According to IBM, blockchain networks must foster diverse communities of open source contributors to promote innovation and ensure the overall quality of code.

The open is better principle is carried across many aspects of what we do at IBM. Open is always better when it comes to the cloud, artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things, but it has especially interesting implications when looked at from a blockchain context. We have always been an ‘open by design’ company, but we think carrying that principle to blockchain is fundamental to our strategy,” explained Cuomo.

For example, IBM points out that The Hyperledger Project, operated under The Linux Foundation, is a “greenhouse” for growing enterprise-grade blockchain software with strong and diverse code contributors.

“Hyperledger is an open technology co-created by multiple institutions. The users of this technology benefit since collaborations create diversity,” said Cuomo.

Moreover, Hyperledger Fabric also allows IBM to monetize due to the collaborative nature of the technology.

Institutions like IBM working on Hyperledger Fabric are able to monetize due to the openness. For instance, Oracle has the Oracle Blockchain, but they monetize using Hyperledger Fabric. We are all collaborating to create these blockchain networks, but we all have competitive offerings. Without breaking the openness, we can add value to differentiate from our solutions. In turn, consumers get high quality code offered through multiple institutions. This is a unique business model built around the idea of open source,” noted Cuomo.

Permissioned Doesn’t Mean Private

Although anonymous public blockchains afford a number of powerful capabilities, IBM believes that these are not suitable for most enterprises, particularly those in regulated industries. Rather, to support an enterprise-grade platform aligned with regulatory and fiduciary responsibilities, enterprise blockchains must be designed around the principle of permissioned and trusted access. However, it’s important to understand that permissioned doesn’t mean private.

Blockchain is about trust. For instance, we trust businesses because of the rules they follow. But rules also have accountability, meaning you have to know which businesses are participating in certain systems. There are types of blockchains that are anonymous like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and there are types of blockchains like Hyperledger Fabric and several others that are permissioned. Permissioned is important because it insists that members of the network are known to the network. Permissions are balanced with privacy so blockchains that follow these principles have privacy capabilities that allow members to transact confidentially,” said Cuomo.

Maintaining a balance through a permissioned network is critical for IBM, as most organizations need to know whom they’re conducting business with to ensure that no illegal activity is being transacted over the network.

Governance Is A Team Sport

IBM also believes that enterprise blockchains must embrace distributed and transparent governance to ensure that networks serve the needs of all participants and are managed in a manner reflective of each use case.

“Governance means rules. These rules will define who the elected officials are, who is responsible for what roles and obligations, etc. Governance is mandatory in a blockchain network,” said Cuomo.

Moreover, IBM notes that a trusted governance model requires at least three designated trust anchors and that governance frameworks should also take into account a network’s funding model.

For example, the Verfied:Me identity network in Canada, convened by SecureKey Inc, has enlisted major Canadian banks to participate as trust anchors to host nodes and validate network transactions. SecureKey has created a governance model that involves ongoing checks and balances between its constituent working groups.

Common Standards Are Common Sense

Additionally, IBM understands that enterprise blockchains should be architected around common standards that are interoperable in order to help future-proof networks, prevent vendor lock-in and foster a robust ecosystem of innovators. This also involves interoperability of cloud platforms. And while most blockchain networks presently exist in siloes, the technology is evolving to support a network of networks.

According to IBM, the first step in promoting this interoperability is to make blockchains visible to one another through a registry, such as Hacera Unbounded.  Moreover, blockchain networks should define and publish their data models and policies for change according to industry standards.

Privacy Is Paramount

Finally, IBM thinks that an enterprise blockchain should control who can access data and under what circumstances. Blockchain networks must also abide by privacy regulations such as GDPR. In most cases, that means any personal data should be kept off-chain.

For example, IBM Food Trust is a blockchain network aimed at ensuring food safety, freshness and sustainability. This network enables brands like Walmart, Albertsons and Driscoll to leverage shared data to enact various supply-chain efficiencies, while safeguarding each member’s proprietary information.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwolfson/2019/05/13/ibm-establishes-5-blockchain-for-good-principles-to-drive-enterprise-adoption-and-benefit-society/#71eb52005aa2

INTERVIEW: BetterU $BTRU.ca On The Move In India With Partnerships, Products and Personnel $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:36 AM on Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

2 weeks ago we interviewed BetterU (BTRU:TSXV) CEO Brad Loiselle from his head office in Ottawa with the title “BetterU On The Move In India With Partnerships, Products and Personnel”

Today, he’s literally on the move as we interview him directly from India where he and Gurmit Singh, the company’s newest addition and Former Managing Director of Yahoo India and CEO Forbes India, are on a whirlwind tour of meetings throughout India where they are presenting BetterU to some very (VERY) large companies and organizations.  As you will soon see for yourself, reaction and response to the BetterU Education Marketplace has been excellent, with the company expecting to generate meaningful agreements in the very near future.

The great thing about interviews is that CEO’s can’t hide behind text based corporate jargon.  Rather, investors are given a great opportunity to read body language, facial expressions and voice fluctuations to gauge just how confident (or lack thereof) the CEO actually is.  I know I do …. and I told Brad on-air that his confidence and happiness was bursting through the screen.  Adding to this is the fact that Gurmit Singh was sitting right beside him, without a mic, chiming in some answers, which leads viewers to believe things are going really well.    

Naturally, we’ll let you be the final judge.  Grab a coffee, watch this great interview with Company CEO, Brad Loiselle and let us know what you think.

Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca – The #Esports Boom, and the Numbers Behind the Sector’s Explosive Growth $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:00 PM on Monday, May 13th, 2019

SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More

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EGLX: TSX-V
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The eSports Boom, and the Numbers Behind the Sector’s Explosive Growth

By Jeff Desjardins

The oldest professional sport teams can trace their start back to the mid-19th century, a period when casual past times such as baseball or football transitioned into more organized leagues.

Since this tipping point, pro sports has thrived around the world, and the business of sports has evolved into a multi-billion dollar ecosystem for teams, leagues, players, merchandisers, sponsors, broadcasters, and event spaces.

Today, this evolution still continues – and it is being driven by the emergence of eSports (electronic sports), an exciting frontier for fans and business alike.

eSports Extravaganza

Today’s chart breaks down the eSports boom, including data on the sector’s rapid growth, prize pools, and the most valuable eSports companies today.

Despite having a reputation in the media and in popular culture as being on the fringes, it is clear that gaming is now a truly mainstream phenomenon.

In fact, the global gaming industry has now eclipsed $135 billion in revenue worldwide – a figure that is twice as much as the film and music industries combined.

With hundreds of millions of avid fans around the world, demand to watch the most elite gamers has reached a fever pitch – and now, it’s not uncommon to see sold-out arenas, big name sponsorship deals, and massive prize pools in the name of eSports.

Defining the eSports Ecosystem

Like any professional league, eSports creates the foundation for an entire ecosystem of opportunities.

Players
Players are central to the ecosystem, since they are the stars and they have their own personalities. One famous star is Kuro Takhasomi (KuroKy), who has brought in a whopping $4.2 million in prize money from Dota 2 tournaments so far. He has earned more than any other player in eSports.

Teams
Because the games played are mostly team-based, there is a crucial element of teamwork involved. eSports franchises are currently selling for millions of dollars. It’s worth noting that these franchises don’t just employ players – they also hire staff that can better ensure the success of players, such as coaches, trainers, and personal chefs.

Games and Developers
Some of the most important games in the eSports world right now include: Dota 2, Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite, and Call of Duty.

Competitions
Leagues and tournaments can offer massive prize pools for players. The biggest single pool so far was $25.5 million, offered for a Dota 2 tournament in 2017 (“The International”). It’s the second-largest prize pool offered in any kind of sport, behind the U.S. Open (tennis).

Organizers
Running eSports events is big money, and organizers of events can tap into sponsorship and fan revenue. Sometimes game publishers will organize the events, but third-party ones also exist in the ecosystem.

Sponsors
Sponsors like Coca-Cola, Intel, and Mercedes-Benz have shelled out millions of dollars to sponsor events and reach the massive audiences associated with eSports. In more recent news, SAP signed a deal to sponsor one of the biggest names, Team Liquid.

Broadcasters
Broadcasters, both traditional and online (YouTube, Facebook Live, Twitch, etc.), are also in to get a part of the action. Recently, game developer Blizzard signed a broadcasting deal with Disney to broadcast Overwatch League playoffs on ESPN, ABC, and Disney XD.

What do you think is the most exciting part of the eSports boom, and why?

Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/esports-boom/