ESports promoter ESL "has grown to become the biggest video-game events company in the world," according to Paresh Dave of the L.A. TIMES. ESL this month filled MSG for the "Dota 2" championship, and similar events in "will follow, as Cologne, Germany-based ESL rapidly expands its North American operations, centered in Burbank." It "also aims to produce Hollywood-style programming around competitions and to work with major broadcasters looking to capitalize on a burgeoning new market." The company said that annual viewership of ESL productions "more than doubled from 2012 to 2014, to more than 50 million hours, reaching 70 million individuals, mostly online." ESL "operates leagues, with a regular season and playoffs." Teams next month "will compete for $150,000 at the SAP Center in San Jose over 'Counter-Strike' and 'League of Legends.'" It "will mark a major milestone: ESL's 10th arena event." ESL "also manages competitions for top game makers." Activision Blizzard "turns to ESL to put on its annual fan convention BlizzCon in Anaheim." To accommodate more projects, the company's Burbank office "is doubling in size to 25,000 square feet this fall, just 16 months after opening." About a third of the company's 300-plus workforce "will be based there." More employees are in N.Y. Company execs are "also talking to media companies to bring ESL content to TV worldwide." ESL "also is busy branching into related businesses." It is "looking to spearhead drug testing, betting regulations, stat-keeping and other industrywide standards." If the pieces come together, company co-Founder Benjamin Reichert "sees media rights fees, ticket sales and sponsorship deals booming." Merchandise, tournament entry fees and "online ads also contribute revenue." To "accelerate growth," the company took $87M from Swedish media giant Modern Times Group last month, "surrendering a majority stake" (L.A. TIMES, 10/24).
