The Los Angeles Sports Council announced that eSports industry leaders Bryce Blum (ESG Law), Chris Hopper (Riot Games), Ari Segal (Immortals) and Chuck Steedman (AEG) will be featured as speakers on the eSports 101 &102: From Basics to Next Level panel at the LA Sports Summit, scheduled for June 24-26 at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel.
As part of the three-day summit, the eSports panel will be featured as the opening panel discussion on Monday, June 24 at 3 p.m. local time and will be moderated by Rich Brand, Managing Partner of Arent Fox LLP’s San Francisco Office and chair of the Sports Practice Group, and a Los Angeles Sports Council Board Member.
The three-day Summit, scheduled for June 24-26, is designed to examine the world of sport in the number one sports city in the world - Los Angeles. The event will explore a range of topics that include what’s new in Sports Innovation; Gambling & New Sports Revenues; Emerging Sports; eSports; Women and Sports Leadership; upcoming Mega Events and more. For additional information and to register for the LA Sports Summit visit: https://www.lasportssummit.org/.
The two-part eSports panel will provide a brief and entertaining tutorial on eSports covering the following topics: what it is, how it is growing and the nature of the sport in order for attendees to gain a general understanding of the eSports ecosystem and the industry’s dynamic innovation and growth. Followed by a panel discussion of eSports, experts will then take a more in-depth approach and explore the ideas and concepts introduced in the tutorial. eSports expert panelists who will be featured:
Bryce Blum– Founding Parnter, ESG Law: Blum is the Founding Partner at ESG Law, the world’s only dedicated eSports law firm, where he represents preeminent eSports teams, talent, and institutions. Bryce’s work spans across the eSports landscape – he has worked on major deals involving every eSports title, and his clients range from long-standing, endemic eSports entities to the ownership groups of major traditional sports teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB. Bryce also serves as a preeminent eSports consultant, advising major sports teams and owners, brands, and investors on how to successfully enter and navigate the eSports space. Bryce is a contributing writer for ESPN, and drives industry standards as a thought leader on key legal and business issues facing all aspects of the eSports ecosystem.
Chris Hopper – Head of North America eSports, Riot Games: As Head of eSports for North America, Chris Hopper oversees the operation of the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS), the premiere league for the world’s most popular eSports in the United States and Canada. Under his leadership the LCS incorporated a franchise model, creating long-term partnerships with eSports stalwarts such as TSM, Cloud9, and Team Liquid as well as traditional sports teams such as the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Houston Rockets. During his tenure, the LCS attracted sponsors like Dell Alienware, State Farm, & Jersey Mike’s and saw the average starting salary for players rise above $320,000. Additionally, Chris works alongside the College League of Legends team to advise on its development in North America which currently sees the participation of 300 colleges & universities.
Ari Segal – CEO, Immortals: Ari Segal is CEO of Immortals, LLC, a global eSports organization based in Los Angeles. Immortals, founded in 2015, has raised strategic investment from AEG, Lionsgate, the Milken Family, Meg Whitman, and Steve Kaplan. The franchise owns and operates the Los Angeles Valiant, one of two Los Angeles-based franchises in Activision Blizzard's Overwatch League, which launched in January 2018. Immortals competes in Rainbow Six: Siege and mobile eSports title Clash Royale, and in 2018 re-launched the Brazilian heritage brand MIBR for its CS:GO team, the most popular and competitively successful team in the world. Segal is a member of Immortals’ Board of Directors.
Chuck Steedman – Chief Operating and Development Officer, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG): Chuck Steedman currently serves as AEG Facilities LLC Chief Operating & Development Officer, overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations of stadia, arenas and convention centers around the globe. He directly manages the Company’s financial, content development, operational, commercial and human resources and plays a significant role in business development domestically and abroad. He also is responsible for driving innovation both corporately at AEG and with the respective venues globally.
Steedman is a member of The Anschutz Companies Data Steering Committee and has been driving the Company’s advancement in big data focusing on the creation of business intelligence and analytics surrounding customer acquisition, engagement and retention. He has also been at the forefront of the company’s foray into eSports, negotiating major event deals as well as working closely with Immortals, the eSports team in which AEG invested in 2018.
Connect with the Los Angeles Sports Council by following @lasportscouncil (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn) and @la_sportscouncil (Instagram) and join the conversation by using #LASportsSummit.
About the Los Angeles Sports Council: The Los Angeles Sports Council is a private, nonprofit organization that encourages economic and community development through the promotion of spectator sports programs in Los Angeles and Orange counties, including support of our local teams and the attraction of events to the area. The Council is also widely recognized for producing the acclaimed LA Sports Awards, an annual awards gala televised by Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket.
About the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games: Formed in 1939, the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the Olympic movement in Southern California. SCCOG is closely aligned and shares offices with the Los Angeles Sports Council. In furtherance of its mission, the organization has engaged in many Olympic-related projects over the years, ranging from organizing sporting events and conferences to partnering with the City of Los Angeles on bids to host the Olympic Games.
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