WME-IMG Global Head of Esports and 2017 SBJ Forty Under 40 winner Tobias Sherman has left the company, along with three others. Sherman was a key player in the creation of ELeague, a joint venture with Turner Sports and IMG Academy's esports program. He also advised numerous high-profile clients on esports strategy. Three others also left: agent and ELeague co-creator Simon Abitbol, Dir of Strategy/Engagement Lilia Russo and VP/Sales & Global Partnerships Imari Oliver. The four represented the agency's core esports team. WME-IMG acquired Sherman's agency, Global eSports Management, in January '15. The agency will continue working in the growing space through its global partnership division and IMG Media. Exec VP/Content Strategy & Partnerships Karen Brodkin will continue to lead esports efforts. A source said the esports team had grown frustrated by what it perceived as the larger organization's inability to grasp the nuances of the new world of esports and to fully appreciate how it must be treated differently from traditional sports.
