And So, eSports Transitions into One of the Biggest Places of Entertainment
One of the biggest names in sports may soon become synonymous with eSports, according to a new report from GI.biz. Madison Square Garden, the holder of the famous arena of the same name, is moving into the scene. And they’re kicking things off by hiring Nick Allen of Twitch.
The MGS Company is making several moves, however. The productive owners of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers are adding Counter Logic Gaming to their list of subsidiaries. CLG, as fans may note, owns the longest-running League of Legends team in the professional sphere.
According to The Esports Observer, Allen will be taking on his new role as Chief Operating Officer of CLG on October 2nd. He will help segway Madison Square Garden into becoming a professional eSports arena.
As for why Allen was chosen for the job, Executive Vice President of MSG Sports, Jordan Solomon, said the following:
“Nick brings with him an extensive knowledge of esports and a deep set of relationships developed through overseeing some of the industry’s most popular events. He has created initiatives that have continued to grow the gaming community. His vision for the esports space will be an invaluable asset to The Madison Square Garden Company and to CLG.”
During his previous employment with Twitch, Allen was in charge of the eSports budget. Before that, he worked with Riot to create the League of Legends Championship Series and World Championship. These endeavors have only built his experience with the scene in a way that made him a perfect candidate for MSG’s new venture. As you can imagine, this will only expand the influence of the entertainment profession.
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