Esports Entertainment Group (EEG) has become the first esports tournament provider for a National Football League (NFL) club, having partnered the Philadelphia Eagles.
As part of the multi-year agreement, the Eagles will become a shareholder of EEG, which is an online gaming operator as well as tournament provider.
EEG will operate bi-annual Madden NFL esports tournaments for the Eagles utilising Esports Gaming League (EGL), the platform it announced it had acquired in August.
“This innovative partnership with Esports Entertainment Group presents a wonderful opportunity for us to expand our reach in a growing market and create new experiences for Eagles fans,” said Catherine Carlson, senior vice president, revenue and strategy at Philadelphia Eagles.
“Esports Entertainment Group has always been a progressive leader in the esports space and has been ahead of the curve in terms of how its interactive platform brings together gaming enthusiasts from all around the world. We look forward to debuting a number of exciting projects through this partnership, including the launch of the highly anticipated Madden tournament series on the Esports Gaming League platform.”
EGL enables live and online events and tournaments where gamers can compete and enjoy a wide range of content relating to esports and video games on a proprietary technology platform. Services include full turnkey esports events, live broadcast production, game launches and online branded tournaments.
EEG will leverage player imagery within the Eagles local market and also work with Eagles players to create custom videos that will promote the tournaments and be featured in the Eagles marketing. It said its tournament segment is a key component of its three pillar growth strategy.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Philadelphia Eagles as they introduce their fans to the world of competitive esports gaming,” said Grant Johnson, chief executive of EEG.
“The Eagles join a growing list of high-profile organisations that have chosen Esports Entertainment Group as their esports tournament provider, affording us an incredible opportunity to expand our brand reach within multiple large, dedicated fan bases and setting the stage for significant growth ahead. We intend to build on this momentum.”
EEG announced on Tuesday that it will complete its acquisition of EGL in January 2021 after finalising the binding agreement for the tournament organiser.
First announced in August, EEG expects EGL to generate triple-digit growth after generating approximately $1.3m in revenue last year. Financial details of the acquisition have yet to be confirmed.
The Eagles, meanwhile, have signed partnerships with a number of sports betting operators. The franchise has deals in place with DraftKings, Kindred Group’s Unibet and Flutter Entertainment’s Fox Bet.