Esportz Entertainment Corp. has announced plans to open a new state-of-the art Southern California Esports Center in Orange County.
The studio will offer Esportz, the largest esports news network, the ability to create high-quality professional productions while offering support and flexibility for other aspects of the business, such as media training and apparel/merchandise design.
Esportz Entertainment Corp. was founded by Chairman and CEO Mark Thimmig and has expanded to more than 50 professional independent reporters, a number the company expects will double by the end of 2019.
Reuters news recently concluded a strategic partnership with the network to provide global e-gaming content including text, audio and video through Reuters Connect, a Reuters News Agency that currently has 3,000 customers who look for in-depth analysis of all aspects of professional and amateur esports, including in-studio interviews, scores, tournaments and industry news.
Last year there were an estimated 380 million esports viewers across the world. That number is expected to reach 557 million by 2021. Goldman Sachs reported last year that esports revenues had reached $869 million, which it forecasts will reach $2.96 billion by 2022.
As the industry expands Esportz Network plans to expand into live and pre-recorded content that will stream through such popular outlets as YouTube, Twitch and Mixer.
CEO Mark Thimmig told PR Newswire that he hopes to shape the industry through his company’s media training division.
“Our media training division is developing an accredited curriculum to teach players, teams, and brands investing in esports, effective media communication strategies,” he said. “We believe that Mastery of Game plus Mastery of Media is a key component of player and team brand value. Many young gamers have exceptional talent, and while they excel in their game of choice, they rarely have had the training and mentoring needed to also excel at building a personal or team brand through effective media communication.”
The goal, he said, is to encourage young gamers to become more effective communicators, using as a template such media savvy practitioners as Lavon James.
The Esportz Network will also design and release esports-based apparel and merchandise designs. “We are going to work to not only cover the industry but to also play a role in the transformation of esports through our greater business initiatives,” said Thimmig.
Esports will debut at the Tokyo Olympics next July.
