Dalian Wanda Group’s triathlon arm Ironman announced the acquisition of Competitor Group and its sports media outlets, according to reports, with assets that include the Rock n’ Roll Marathon series that spans 30 cities and draws over 600,000 athletes each year. The deal will make Ironman the largest running event producer in the world, according to a statement announcing the agreement.
MLB Network is once again partnering with Zac Brown Band for a promotion that will offer fans the chance to see three-time Grammy Award-winning group perform on Aug. 26 at Wrigley Field. Fans can tune in to MLB Central weekdays at 10a to watch for photos of MLB players with their fathers and children and a special code word to enter at MLB.com/ZBB.
Performance Inspired was named the official high performance sports nutrition product of the World Long Drive Association and will be adding Long Drivers Tim Burke and Justin James as ambassadors for the brand’s line of products Additional elements surrounding the partnership include a brand presence for Performance Inspired at all sanctioned WLDA events and a brand collaboration on an “Inspired to be Better” campaign.
Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment and Liberty University Athletics locked in a long-term partnership that makes VWSE the exclusive multimedia rights partner and sales agent for the athletic department’s corporate sponsorship program. As part of the agreement, the VWSE Collegiate Services division will oversee the locally based operation, “Liberty University Sponsorships,” which is committed to enhancing the in-venue experience for the program’s sponsors, business partners and a growing and Flames fan base.
NBC Sports Gold launched its Cycling Pass for the 2017-18 season, giving fans in the U.S. access to more than 25 races from July 2017 through June 2018, beginning with the Tour de France. This season will see the pass offer expanded coverage of the Tour de France, including more than 30 bonus hours of exclusive HD coverage as well as the addition of more than 15 new races including the Volta a Catalunya, Colorado Classic, UCI Road World Championships, Cyclocross World Cup and Track Cycling World Championships.
PwC released its Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2017-2021, with a dedicated section for esports. The study projected that total esports revenue in the US would hit$299 million in 2021, up from $108 million in 2016, rising at a 22.6% CAGR. Esports streaming advertising revenue is forecast to rise from $33 million in 2016 to $148 million in 2021, becoming the biggest contributor to total esports revenue in the process. Meanwhile, esports consumer contribution revenue will climb from #20 million in 2016 to $42 million in 2021, for a 15.7% CAGR. Finally, consumer ticket sales revenue is forecast to rise from $11 million in 2016 to $26 million in 2021, a 19.7% CAGR.
Mountain Dew signed on to sponsor three esports stalwarts, locking in deals with Team Dignitas, Splyce and Team SK Gaming. The partnerships will now offer exclusive content and access to the players via the Mountain Dew Twitch channel. “We are excited to expand our support of esports through these partnerships with three world-class teams,” says Manos Spanos, Global Senior Marketing Director, Mountain Dew. “Industry-first partnerships and authentic integrations that align with core Mountain Dew values and resonate with gamers and DEW Nation will continue to inspire us as a business.”
OpTic Gaming is going long with Twitch, inking an exclusive, multiyear deal with the livestreaming platform that will showcase most of the squad’s first-person and third-person shooter eSports teams, according to VentureBeat. Twitch will collaborate with OpTic to “build each streamer’s presence on the platform and elevate the streamer experience for each player and their viewers.” “First and third-person shooters are what jump-started competitive online gaming as a phenomenon and are a catalyst in making esports what it is today,” said John Howell, VP of Global Partnerships at Twitch. “In the last year alone, we have seen shooter-game tournaments set viewership records and contribute to the meteoric rise of new FPS/TPS games on Twitch. By partnering with OpTic Gaming, an acclaimed fixture in the competitive shooter scene, we are able to ensure our large community of shooter game fans don’t have to go far to see the best the genre has to offer.”
In other deal news, OMEN by HP was named the Official PC Partner of Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch World Cup this year, where OMEN X Desktop PCs will power gameplay for each of the global tournament’s live events. “With the launch of an entirely new, cutting-edge and comprehensive portfolio of OMEN by HP gaming products, HP is celebrating the competitive spirit that burns inside all gamers,” said Alex Craddock, global head of marketing, personal systems at HP. “We’re excited to be working with Blizzard Entertainment by helping power the gameplay behind the Overwatch World Cup. HP is dedicating itself to helping grow esports by investing in the athletes of the future and our partnership with Blizzard Entertainment is a big step in pursuing that goal.”
Warriors/Cavaliers on ABC at 9p.
