EAGAN, Minn., July 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- WISE Ventures, under
the leadership of the Wilf Family, has reached an agreement with
Activision Blizzard to field a Minnesota-based team in the forthcoming
franchised Call of Duty esports league.
"Esports and competitive gaming has clearly emerged as a major
force in the sports and entertainment industry," said ownership
partner Jonathan Wilf. "We have
explored various opportunities in esports over the past few years,
and we believe the new Call of Duty esports league is well
positioned for long term success."
The day-to-day operations of the new franchise will be based at
Viking Lakes in Eagan, Minnesota
and will be overseen by Brett
Diamond, who will become Chief Operating Officer of the WISE
Ventures esports organization.
"We look forward to engaging with the gaming community in
Minnesota and the broader region
to create a first class fan experience," said Diamond. "It is
important for our first step to be listening and learning what is
important to this community." Diamond, previously the Minnesota
Vikings' Director of Partnership Strategy, has been with the
Vikings for three seasons following 11 seasons in the National
Football League's Events Department.
"Under the leadership of the Wilf Family, we will bring the same
level of dedication and long term vision to building this
organization that you have seen with the Vikings over the past 14
years," Diamond continued.
Also joining the ownership group as an investor is Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia and New York
Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author.
"Over many years, I've had the pleasure of getting close with
the Wilf family and really got to know them as the amazing humans
they are. I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to be in business
together now that the team has been officially announced," said
Vaynerchuk. "Having been on the sidelines & watching the
gaming industry evolve & grow, getting involved with Activision
Blizzard and the future of Call of Duty, along with the leadership
and vision of Bobby Kotick this was
the perfect recipe for me. Excited to bring value to the entire
gaming landscape for years to come."
The esports organization will be operated as a separate
organization from the Vikings. "Our goals are to create an
environment for sustained success in both the competitive and
business operations. In the coming weeks, we will begin the process
to hire a General Manager to build out our competitive roster,"
said Jonathan Wilf.
Details of the league format, events and schedule will be
announced at a later date.
For updates and information on the new Minnesota Call of Duty
esports team, follow @Esports_wise, @COD_MN or @Garyvee.
About WISE Ventures
WISE Ventures is an investment
fund based in Manhattan focused on
early and growth stage investment opportunities that leverage our
strategic value. Led by an ownership group with deep sports &
entertainment and real estate experience, WISE is able to assess,
champion, and add value to next-gen companies in those
industries.
The organization is built on the foundation of an innovative and
visionary culture coupled with a committed team of talented people.
WISE Ventures brings unmatched value to its companies through its
deep industry networks and world-class management experience. More
information about WISE Ventures esports can be found on the
company's LinkedIn channel.
About Activision
Headquartered in Santa Monica,
California, Activision is a leading global producer and
publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains
operations throughout the world and is a division
of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P
500 company. More information about Activision and its
products can be found on the company's website,
www.activision.com or by following @Activision.
© 2019 ACTIVISION and CALL OF DUTY are trademarks of Activision
Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the
properties of their respective owners.
Contacts:
Brett Diamond, WISE Ventures
Esports, brett@wiseventuresllc.com
Chelsey Knutson, Carmichael Lynch
Relate, chelsey.knutson@clynch.com, 612.375.8540
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SOURCE WISE Ventures