The Philadelphia 76ers have purchased two professional eSports teams in an effort to expand their interests into other sports. Gamespot writes the purchase included Team Apex and Team Dignitas, who will now both be known under Team Dignitas. The 76ers released a statement after the move...
"The combined organizations will create a powerhouse competitor in the booming business of Esports; bringing under one roof Team Apex's wildly popular League of Legends team with other standout games including Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, and Smite. This marks the first time an ownership group of a North American sports franchise has acquired an Esports team; the group will utilize their business expertise and vast resources to bring infrastructure and alignment to position these Esports teams for future growth."
This is the first time an NBA franchise has gotten into the flourishing sport, but many famous players already have their hands in the involvement of teams including former Laker Rick Fox and Shaquille O' Neal.
The deal is obviously great for everyone involved in Dignitas, who will now have the full marketing and money of an NBA franchise at their disposal. I'll be really curious to see how they do with the new sponsorship!
