UMG Extends National Association of Broadcasters eSports Relationship

Seeking out new opportunities to raise the profile of eSports events and bring championships to more traditional broadcasting mediums, UMG Media Ltd. just extended an existing partnership with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).

Through the newly-lengthened deal, UMG’s Chris Iaquinta will take up the role of eSports director for the association’s annual showcase.

UMG’s subsidiary (pending final closing) Activate Entertainment LLC will also host an eSports showcase both this coming October for the 2019 NAB show in New York as well as the planned 2020 edition taking place in Las Vegas.

The company entered an agreement to acquire Activate Entertainment back in August, with the deal expected to close by the end of the month.

Activate previously handled production on the Caesars/Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse event, which nabbed an honourable mention in the Best Non-Endemic Brand Activation category at the Tempest Esports Business Awards this year.

UMG’s Chief Executive Officer Dave Antony issued this statement about ongoing collaborations with Activate:

UMG/Activate is thrilled to have been not only nominated but awarded honorable mention with such an esteemed group. We are devoted to the advancement of the eSports industry and immersing new groups to our world. Activate will continue to operate unique activations in gaming and this is just the next of many to come.

The all-stock acquisition deal is expected to be leveraged towards bringing eSports to the hospitality industry with partnerships through internationally recognized brands such as Marriott International and Caesars Entertainment.

In other recent news, UMG Media hosted a Gears 5 launch event earlier this month, celebrating the official release of the latest game in the Gears Of War franchise with Twitch streamers and eSports celebrities playing live.

Gears 5 just got a major boost in the advertising department via a collaboration with former WWE superstar and current Guardians Of The Galaxy actor Dave Bautista, who is now appearing as a playable character in the game for a limited time run.

Dave Bautista replaces the character model and voice of franchise mainstay Marcus Fenix during the event, with the campaign widely seen as an audition for the actor to potentially play a role in a rumoured upcoming live action Gears Of War film.

Ty Arthur

Ty Arthur has spent the last decade of his journalism career covering everything from cutting-edge tech to local news through outlets such as the Houston Chronicle. He has focused on the counterculture aspects of society, from marijuana legalization to underground music through Metalunderground.com and rapidly changing trends in the entertainment industry. He lives in the cold, dark north with his wife and son. Address: 682 Indian Road, Toronto, Ontario, M6P 2C9. Phone: 416-721-8257.