Beasley Significantly Expands eSports Platform

Beasley Broadcast Group has announced that it acquired the Overwatch League’s Houston Outlaws eSports team from an affiliate of Immortals.

The Overwatch League is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. The Overwatch League will begin its third season in February of 2020, with each of the league’s teams hosting matches in their home markets. The Outlaws will remain officially based in Houston, Texas and will continue to represent the Houston, Austin, and San Antonio markets.

Beasley’s acquisition of the Houston Outlaws again expands its role in the fast-growing esports space and reflects the Company’s focus on premium esports programming and content. Beasley’s other investments in esports include Team Renegades (investment in April 2019), an esports organization consisting of five teams, based in Detroit, Michigan and CheckpointXP (acquired Fall of 2018), a weekly syndicated esports lifestyle show. CheckpointXP programming is currently featured on approximately 70 radio stations across the United States on the Sun Broadcast Network; on daily podcasts on Amazon’s video game streaming platform, Twitch; and, on CheckpointXP On Campus, the first collegiate-based esports show in the US.

Commenting on the transaction, Caroline Beasley, Chief Executive Officer, said, “Beasley is very excited to expand its operations to Houston, which is home to one of the largest esports fan bases in the US. Our growing esports infrastructure and management combined with our experience with team Renegades, success in hosting and promoting large events and our national esports content hub—BeasleyXP—are key factors in our expectations for long-term returns from this investment. We look forward to initial contributions from this exciting development when the league’s third season begins in February.

Caroline Beasley concluded, “This opportunity is another meaningful step forward as we expand Beasley’s involvement in esports, one of the fastest growing forms of entertainment in the US and the world.”

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.