For decades, there has been an ongoing controversy about whether esports are sports. While some consider this sort of labeling issue trivial, it is critically important in the legal context. Classification rings especially...more
Whether it’s through mobile gaming or live streaming, young people are spending more time than ever participating in the virtual world. Yet, in-game chat functionality, online trolls, loot boxes and advertising are posing...more
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the esports community has witnessed an explosive year of investment growth in 2020 and early 2021. Here is a brief summary of just some of the more significant esports acquisitions and...more
To the surprise of viewers and fans, while livestreaming Call of Duty on Twitch, Miami Heat Center Meyers Leonard made an anti-Semitic slur and used vulgar language, and video of Leonard making these comments on his...more
During the first few months of the COVID-19 lockdown, with virtually all major sporting events cancelled, sports betting and gambling companies turned their eyes toward the esports universe in search of a solution. While...more
Musicians and gamers are no strangers to each other; the two industries have been capitalizing on the crossover of their respective fan bases for nearly a decade. Although these collaborative efforts are not news, the utility...more
How a $300 million eSports Deal Could Change Traditional Sports Distribution - In December, Riot Games agreed to a seven year, $300 million deal with BAMTech, giving the digital distribution company exclusive rights to...more
Manatt Digital—eSports Startup Launchpad - We are proud to announce our partnership with Narus Advisors in sponsoring the Manatt eSports Startup Launchpad. This pitch competition is designed to explore what creative...more
In this newsletter, we highlight how strategic acquisition and investment can best be leveraged for organizational growth. We also discuss a recent example in the case of IBM's purchase of live streaming service Ustream, and...more