Investors have flocked to elite esports teams and leagues in the past two years, but Super League Gaming Chairman and CEO Ann Hand believes there’s a path to riches in the amateur ranks, too. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based startup operates a series of community gaming events at rented movie theaters, launching leagues in “Minecraft” (targeting children) and “League of Legends.” Hand hopes Super League Gaming can provide a new development path for up-and-coming superstars, but just as importantly, will water the gaming grassroots for years to come. Its more casual approach to gaming has drawn investors such as Nickelodeon, DMG Entertainment and SoftBank.
There are 2.6 billion gamers around the world. A large percentage of them identify as competitive gamers and they’re seeking more ways and outlets to engage in and around the games they love.
Ann Hand
Super League Gaming Chairman and CEO
Ten years from now, what does a mature Super League Gaming look like, and what revenue lines can you foresee developing? Obviously we think there is tremendous room for growth in terms of cities and franchises, both domestic and internationally, perhaps even with tiers of competition like you see in other sports as we evolve to become a more established feeder system to the pros. Revenue-wise, we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible through partnerships, licensing and even the original content and live broadcasts we recently launched as part of Super League TV on Twitch.
super league gaming
How do you hedge against publishers eventually wanting to control their entire ecosystem? We designed Super League’s offer from the start to be highly complementary to the interests of our publishers. [We are] a local marketing arm for these titles to widen the reach of the game, deepen engagement and inevitably increase player retention. We don’t try to usurp control of any part of the ecosystem, but instead smartly provide these key rungs of the ladder to the pros that most benefit the publisher around a specific game title.
Why do “Minecraft” and “League of Legends” work best? The competitive structure we have wrapped around Minecraft makes it perfect for our youth league — it is a game that parents and educators really embrace for all of the positive and social and developmental benefits that come from playing the game. “League of Legends,” meanwhile, is not only a crown jewel of professional esports, but it’s built around the tenants of leadership, critical thinking and teamwork, which are core attributes of both the pros and the Super League experience.
Would it ever make sense to build your own venues? Any timeline for international expansion? We expect to announce our first two international cities this summer. On the venue front, we have built a tournament platform that is venue-agnostic, so we like the idea of being compatible with venues of all shapes and sizes. That said, you will start to see us move into larger venues for our marquee events, either through brand partners or affiliations with the pro franchise.
— Ben Fischer
