In this episode with special guest Matt Hillman (Co-Founder and Partner at Cut + Sew and Zone Gaming), we discuss endemic vs non-endemic brands in esports, the role of agencies in helping brands access gamers, Josh Hart and other NBA stars getting into gaming, Mavix lining up talent ambassadors to promote their new chair line, Riot Games shopping English streaming rights to League of Legends esports, OpTic Scump calling for a Call of Duty League players union, and so much more!
Esports brands have definitely started to recruit celebrity personalities in order to increase their marketing. I think this move is a situational one that will either lead to a vast amount of success or none at all. Mavix’s chair seem like a good investment for any serious gamer. I have been gaming on the same chair for a few years and I find myself with countless back issues that I feel a good chair could prevent. Riot Games shopping around the esports streaming rights will result in a multimillion dollar deal but I think could hurt some of the audience numbers. When the Overwatch League moved from Twitch to YouTube they saw alittle bit of a decline in their numbers. I think platforms tend to determine what viewers watch. With Twitch being the biggest livestreaming site, it could be a mutually beneficial deal. But I am sure both Facebook Gaming and YouTube will be considered as well. The forming of a Call of Duty union is something I believe is long overdue. A union could increase the professionalism that the Call of Duty league has but would also increase protection for it’s players. I am looking forward to hopefully seeing this being formed as well as the impact it has on the league and the industry.