If there seems to be an increasing amount of overlap between traditional sports and the eSports business, it’s because there really is.
Traditional sports invading eSports remains one of the hottest sports topics this year, with yesterday’s news being the latest tale of a professional athlete investing in gaming.
According to ESPN’s Sports Business Reporter, Darren Rovell, Boston Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko purchased the Renegades franchise, which includes the team’s CS:GO position in the new ELeague and ESL.
Jerebko’s purchase included the right to negotiate with the current CS:GO team, which had four players with expired contracts. The Swedish native moved the team into a house and training facility in Rochester, Michigan.
Get The Latest NBA Tech News In Your Inbox!
As Rovell also reported, Jerebko assembled a Call of Duty team, formerly named Ground Zero, that will now compete under Renegades in the upcoming Call of Duty World League Championship. Jerebko joins a growing list of NBA players — both current and former — who have entered the “Wild, Wild West,” a coined phrase for the current state of eSports.
Along with Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins, current NBA Analyst on ‘Inside the NBA,’ Shaquille O’Neal, invested an undisclosed sum in team, NRG eSports. Ex NBA veteran, Rick Fox, founded Echo Fox last year. Additionally, newly-signed Brooklyn Nets point guard, Jeremy Lin, has also expressed interest around investing in a gaming franchise.
“When I endorse a team, I’ll take care of the team very well,” Lin said to ESPN at this month’s annual Dota 2 tournament, The International. “I hope to (take) my experience from the NBA and bring it to esports.”
Dan Ciccone — who is the Managing Director at rEvXP, a Chicago-based eSports consultancy practice — expanded on the reasoning behind NBA players wanting to dip their toes into the gaming world.
“For the older and younger guys alike, they likely see a lot of similarities with the struggles and opportunities that these young professionals face as they are cast onto a global stage,” said Ciccone, who works with brands like Pepsi (Brisk Mate), Turtle Wax and Turtle Beach along with team, OpTic Gaming. “…Just like basketball, many eSports boast competitions of 5 v 5 or 4 v 4 teams, and many of the players are friends outside of their own organization. …We often hear or see NBA players from different teams going out to dinner or spending time together during the off-season and eSports is no different. Many eSport pros hang out during and between tournaments and underlying all of it is an appreciation for the lifestyle that goes along with being a pro gamer.”
In the short term, Ciccone expects that investment in eSports franchises will continue to accelerate as it grows to become even more mainstream, with buy-in still cheap and those who get involved early standing to benefit the most.
“Investing in eSports right now requires a special dedication and understanding of the space as there are many stakeholders who impact its opportunities — game publishers, leagues, distribution partners, the players and the other owners,” Ciccone said. “…It takes a disciplined visionary with a real business acumen to understand how to navigate the opportunities and pitfalls.”