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Beasley Media Group announced the acquisition of the Houston Outlaws of the Overwatch League from the Immortals Gaming Club. The Outlaws will remain in Houston and represent the Houston, Austin, and San Antonio areas. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Beasley’s acquisition of the Outlaws marks its third venture into the esports space with investments in Renegades, a multi-team esports organization and CheckpointXP, a weekly syndicated lifestyle show which was the first collegiate-based esports show in the U.S.
“The acquisition of the Houston Outlaws significantly expands our growing esports platform,” Caroline Beasley, chief executive officer of BMG said. “The Houston Outlaws represent a rare investment opportunity, as there are only 20 Overwatch League teams in the world, and the transaction partners Beasley with Blizzard Entertainment and its parent company, Activision Blizzard, a leading global developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content and services.”
It had been reported by numerous outlets that the Outlaws were in negotiations with Houston real estate investor Lee Zieben. who had allegedly agreed to terms with Immortals Gaming Club to purchase the Houston Outlaws for a total deal value of $40M USD. That deal apparently fell through.
“Beasley is very excited to expand its operations to Houston, which is home to one of the largest esports fan bases in the US,” Beasley continued. “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.”
Pete Vlastelica, president and CEO of Activision Blizzard, and commissioner of the Overwatch League welcomed the new owners.
“The Houston Outlaws have a fantastic new ownership team and we’re excited to welcome the Beasley Media Group to the Overwatch League,” Vlastelica said. “We look forward to working with them and ensuring a smooth transition for the team, the players, and the fans. Outlaws fans are incredibly passionate and 2020 is going to be an exciting year for the entire league.”
