With the unveiling of NRG Esports official San Francisco team for the Overwatch League, you might expect someone like the team manager to make the announcement. Not in the case of this pro gaming organization though, they brought in some outside help. Names you might recognize too, like Shaquille O'Neal and Jennifer Lopez. NFL star Marshawn Lynch even makes an appearance in the video.
It's all shot in a very loose, vlog style, giving the announcement a more personal touch than an over-produced, well-lit debut would, though it does make the whole thing seem a little, tacky?
We'll leave that sort of judgement up to you guys, but the actual story behind this is that these celebrities and media figures have purchased stakes in the NRG Esports organization. Shaq has been part of it since March 2016, but NRG recently generated some $15 million in series B funding through the likes of Lopez and Lynch, among others.
As more money can be made from these sorts of professional gaming organizations, expect celebrities and other wealthy types to begin investing in them for the diversification of their portfolios, as well as for the excitement of owning part of a high-level team without having to spend hundreds of millions as you would with traditional sports teams.
Overwatch's main pro pre-season is set to begin on December 6.
