Engine Shop has acquired SA Studios Global’s esports and football divisions, further developing its int'l ambitions in a deal that makes Engine Shop the lead agency for Major League Soccer’s esports effort and Umbro in North America, according to Ben Fischer of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Former SA Studios Global partner Scott Debson will now become exec VP of strategy for Engine Shop. Jamie King, who led the gaming and esports division at SA, is now exec VP of esports at the Bruin Sports Capital-owned agency. The deal is the third in a string of acquisitions designed to make Engine Shop an int'l player in esports, football and the Olympics. The agency bought Olympics consultant Terrence Burns’ business in February and The Gamer Agency in December. CEO Brian Gordon said that the three pickups vault the agency into the most important int'l sport platforms. Gordon said, "You’re going to see us continue to build on that global strategy, but to us, if you’ve got esports, you’ve got football and you’ve got Olympics, and you then build around that, you’re in pretty good shape." Engine Shop now has about 25 people in its gaming/esports business. The combined agency will promote itself as one of the few shops that can bring both traditional sports and esports expertise to both consulting and activation work (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/7 issue).
