Overwatch League side Houston Outlaws has appointed Adam Hobbs as Executive Director of Marketing and Branding. 

Hobbs was previously Head of Marketing for Counter Logic Gaming (CLG), where he guided content and brand strategy across titles including League of Legends, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Super Smash Bros, and CS:GO, plus influential content creators.

He has created global campaigns for top brands like Razer, Red Bull, Toyota, and Uniqlo, and his work with major influencers, including Lady GaGa, Deadmau5, Skrillex, and Tiesto, and been covered by Billboard, Forbes, and The Fader.

Regarding Hobb’s appointment, Beasley Esports Chief Operating Officer, Lori Burgess, said:

“Adam brings the perfect combination of esports and entertainment marketing leadership to the Outlaws as we poise our organisation for fan and audience growth in 2021. Adam’s ability to ‘dream big and execute even bigger’ makes him the perfect addition to the Outlaws as we work to extend our brand across all media platforms.”

While Hobbs himself added:

“I’m beyond excited to join the Outlaws at what I think is a key turning point in the development of the organisation.

“From the start, I was in total alignment with the vision for the team and the direction of the Outlaws brand. I hope to build on that and bring it to life through content and experience that will excite our current fans and convert new ones. Outlaws fans deserve the best and that is what I want to give them.”

The appointment is in line with the Beasley Media Group-owned esports organisation’s plans to continue improving its infrastructure, make key hires, focus on commercial sponsorships, and improve fan engagement during 2021.

Staying with Beasley Esports, just a couple of weeks ago the company announced the appointment of Robyn St. Germain as Executive Director of Sales & Partnerships. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Hobbs looks like a solid hire for the Outlaws, having extensive proven experience in the esports industry, and obviously an extensive network of contacts. We’re curious to see his impact on the organisation. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates.

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Global esports organisation ReKTGlobal, owner of Rogue and London Royal Ravens, has appointed Hannah Reid as Chief People Officer (CPO). 

In her new role, Reid will be responsible for designing and implementing human resource infrastructure and programs that are scalable across ReKTGlobal’s diversified workforce, guiding stakeholders to continue growing a unified culture across the global organisation’s owned and operated subsidiaries.

Reid is one of the few female C-suit executives currently in the esports space, but will be joining several other female leaders at ReKTGlobal and its subsidiaries. These include Executive Vice President of Esports, Anna Baumann, Executive Vice President of Media Services, Cara Scharf, and Head of Talent at TalentX Gaming (TXG), Amber Howard. 

Indeed, though it is thought that women account for almost 41% of gamers in the United States, they currently represent just 5% of the professional esports workforce. Additionally, though the $1.1 billion esports industry has seen incredible growth, it still largely lacks in-house human resources leadership at the C-suite level. 

Commenting on her appointment, Reid said:

“I’m truly passionate about people and their overall well being. It’s a privilege to advocate for and represent each employee at the leadership level.

“As one of the few esports organisations elevating women in leadership, I appreciate ReKTGlobal’s commitment to diversity and creating an equitable working environment.”

Before joining ReKTGlobal, Reid was human resources manager at digital media agency VaynerX. There she was instrumental in improving and scaling people processes as the company experienced dramatic global growth. 

Reid’s areas of expertise include performance management and coaching, benefits and pay equity/compensation strategy, acquisitions, and HR infrastructure. Prior to her time with VaynerX, she worked at financial services startup, JDX Consulting, where she was involved in implementing people and operations functions for the company’s New York office. 

Regarding Reid’s appointment ReKTGlobal’s Chief Operating Officer, Parrish McIntyre, said:

“With Hannah’s passion for people, entrepreneurial spirit, and track record of developing a global brand culture, we instantly knew she was the right fit. 

“We’ve made it our mission to identify, develop and create equitable pathways for our ReKTGlobal team members. It’s critical that our team fully reflect the diverse audiences of esports and gaming as we mature as a leading esports organisation, and know Hannah is the right leader to spearhead this global effort.”

While co-founder of ReKTGlobal, Amish Shah, welcomes Reid to the organisation, saying:

“We are thrilled to welcome Hannah Reid as our first Chief People Officer. As one of the only esports organisations to reach profitability, we’ve now set our sights on building a global culture that challenges the male-dominated status quo.

“With Hannah’s arrival, we hope this sheds light on the opportunity for women in executive positions in esports and makes the case for other esports organisations to follow.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Here at AYO.NEWS we share ReKTGlobal’s ethos when it comes to equality and diversity, so it’s awesome to see the organisation create the post of CPO, and appoint someone as capable as Hannah to lead its efforts. 

Staying with ReKTGlobal, in October the organisation secured $35M in funding from Summit Partners, to help support the expansion of its product portfolio, monetise assets, and assist with the acceleration of international growth through key executive hiring.

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Top flight Italian football club AC Milan is entering esports through a partnership with QLASH. 

AC MILAN QLASH will be represented by Diego “QLASH Crazy” Campagnani and Fabio “QLASH Denuzzo” Denuzzo. Campagnani finished the FIFA20 season as #1 ranked in the world for Playstation, and Denuzzo is a well-known gamer who competes on Xbox.  

Both will be participating in the eSerie A TIM 2020/2021 championship, along with other official FIFA21 competitions, including FIFA Global Series and FIFA Club World Cup. 

In addition to FIFA, AC MILAN QLASH will also compete in mobile title Brawl Stars, taking part in the World Finals on 21 and 22 November. 

Discussing the venture AC Milan’s Chief Revenue Officer, Casper Stylsvig, said:

“We’re happy to announce this brand-new partnership with QLASH. This agreement is another important step in our Club’s modernization and innovation path. 

“We are sure it will be an exciting and incredible experience, both for us and for our fans around the world, and we’re delighted to be embarking on this new adventure in the world of Esports in partnership with a leading company like QLASH.”

While QLASH co-founder and CEO, Luca Pagano, added:

“For traditional companies that have the courage to adjust and embrace innovation, Esports can represent a huge growth opportunity. 

“We are thrilled and proud that AC Milan decided to pick QLASH as their Esports arm, not just for operation, but also at brand and commercial levels. AC MILAN QLASH is a true, deep, and effective partnership. For sponsors that want to invest in the future, without neglecting the present or their traditions, together we will be able to offer the best of both worlds.”

QLASH was recently named Best Italian Team at the Italian Esports Awards 2020. The company is also partnered with rival top flight Milanese club, Inter Milan. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Even the most hesitant football clubs are now realising they need to be visible in the esports space to drive engagement with younger fans, especially during the age of COVID.

While some clubs have taken the route of setting up their own teams from the ground-up, partnering with an existing organisation, like AC Milan has done with QLASH, will likely save a lot of money and stress in the short-term – but at the cost of not gaining valuable in-house experience for the long-term. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Esports Entertainment Group (EEG) is now the official esports tournament provider for Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, Philadelphia Union.

Via its recently acquired Esports Gaming League (EGL) platform, EEG will host tournaments for Philadelphia Union, giving fans the chance to win team merch and “one-of-a-kind” experiences. 

Discussing the deal Esports Entertainment Group CEO, Grant Johnson, said:

“We’re excited to further extend our reach into Major League Soccer through our partnership with the Philadelphia Union. Traditional sports teams continue to incorporate esports into their programs, and we are quickly becoming the go-to provider for tournament solutions for this highly attractive market segment.”

While SVP of Corporate Partnerships at Philadelphia Union, Jean-Paul Dardenne, added:

“Our team and Major League Soccer have been at the forefront of incorporating esports as a way to connect and further engage our fanbase. With this partnership, we are excited to continue to build on our success in esports and to provide another way for fans to connect to the team they love.”

EEG operates the VIE.gg esports betting platform and is listed in the United States, but also maintains offices in the European igaming hub of Malta. 

AYO.NEWS says:

It’s safe to say EEG is on a mission to grow its presence in the United States and beyond – just a few weeks ago the company also announced similar partnerships with MLS’ LA Galaxy, and the NHL’s LA Kings. And, just last week, EEG revealed plans to acquire venue company Helix eSports and B2B software provider ggCircuit, for a total of $43M USD. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.

Simona is joined by Julian Tan, Ph.D, Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports at Formula 1, to find out how the iconic racing organisation has expanded its esports offering this year, and what the future has in store.

The COVID-19 crisis has seen the popularity of sim racing explode, pulling in new fans from real-world motorsport and opening up compelling new opportunities for gamers, teams, and commercial partners alike. Now, AYO.NEWS’ Simona Pinterova gets the inside take on F1’s approach to harnessing esports as a way to connect with the fans of the future.

Find out more about F1 esports here.

Julian was recently on the panel for the Perfect Partners session (sponsored by Neosurf) at SBC Betting on Sports Europe – Digital, along with Steven Salz, Co-founder and CEO of PMML Corp – the parent company of leading esports and sports betting site Rivalry. Don’t miss Simona’s chat with Steven here.

Gaming peripheral brand Logitech G has agreed a multi-year exclusive League of Legends licensing deal with Riot Games.

The partnership will see Logitech G create a range of official League of Legends products, launching with a line inspired by Riot’s virtual girl group K/DA. 

Logitech G says the K/DA range will include the Logitech G733 gaming headset, G304/G305 gaming mouse, G840 gaming mousepad, and exclusive G333 League of Legends in-ear headset. 

The company says it will be using the licensing deal to focus especially on its Logitech G733 Lightspeed Wireless RGB Gaming Headset – billed the “most comfortable headsets Logitech G has ever designed.”

K/DA was created in 2018 and first performed at that year’s League of Legends World Championship Opening Ceremony. The virtual group is made up of five League of Legends characters – Ahri (voiced by Cho Mi-yeon), Akali (voiced by Jeon So-yeon), Evelynn (voiced by Madison Beer), Kai’Sa (voiced by Jaira Burns), and Seraphine (voiced by Lexie Liu).

AYO.NEWS says:

We often comment on the way video gaming and esports is now inextricably linked to pop culture, and nothing perhaps illustrates that as well as K/DA. Given the insane popularity of League of Legends, this deal is a pretty big coup for Logitech G. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.