Earlier today, Overwatch League™ and social video service Twitch announced a multi-year partnership for distribution of Overwatch League’s streaming rights. Per a press release issued by Overwatch League and Twitch, the partnership ensures that every match of the world’s first major global city-based esports league will be readily available to fans across the globe. The inaugural season of Overwatch League begins tomorrow, January 10, 2018, as the Los Angeles Valiant match up against the San Francisco Shock at Blizzard Arena in Burbank. The Los Angeles Valiant, one of two Los Angeles-based franchises in Overwatch League, is backed by AEG, Lionsgate, the Milken family, Steve Kaplan, CrossCut Ventures, and other primarily Los Angeles-based media and technology investors and executives.

Los Angeles Valiant CEO Noah Whinston said, “The journey to Overwatch League started more than two years ago as a dream, and tomorrow it becomes a reality. Fans, teams, corporate partners, and other stakeholders will all benefit immensely from the partnership between Twitch and Overwatch League, as it ensures both best-in-class broadcast quality and technology with the broadest reach. That [Overwatch League Commissioner] Nate Nanzer and his team were able to execute this transaction prior to the official launch of the league tomorrow is a credit to their hard work, dedication, and vision, and Twitch’s belief in the immense potential of esports generally and in Overwatch League, specifically.”

Steve Cohen, Executive Vice President of The Anschutz Corporation, Chief Strategy Officer of AEG, and a member of the Valiant Board of Directors, added, “We are proud to be founding members of Overwatch League. Having been through some difficult cycles in a variety of major sports leagues over the last two decades prior to more recent runs of sustained success, growth, and expansion, we believe that the partnership between Overwatch League and Twitch represents a critical event in this League’s lifecycle: it amplifies the League’s content creation and distribution efforts, enhances activation and fan engagement, and brings international credibility to the product. For the fan base and those new to the sport, players, investors and partners, global brands, and other industry observers, this transaction puts Overwatch League on an entirely different plane, and changes the conversation from ‘if or when’ to ‘yes and now.’”

Lionsgate President of Interactive Ventures, Games & Digital Strategy Peter Levin, also a Los Angeles Valiant Board member, said, “The storytelling canvas created by the marriage of Overwatch League and Twitch is massive in scale and scope and will attract premium content development in many shapes, sizes, and formats. As a pure content company, Lionsgate is excited to tap into this very coveted audience with this dynamic partnership between Blizzard and Twitch. There is a discreet discipline required in standing up a 21st Century competitive league in a ‘cord-never’ environment and Activision Blizzard has stepped up to the plate, as they do time and again.”

The Los Angeles Valiant v. San Francisco Shock, the first match of the Overwatch League regular season, begins Wednesday, January 10, at 4:00 p.m. PST. Broadcast details can be found on the Overwatch League website, www.overwatchleague.com, and on Twitch at Twitch.tv/overwatchleague.

About the Los Angeles Valiant

Los Angeles Valiant, one of the 12 inaugural teams for Overwatch League, is owned and operated by Immortals and CEO Noah Whinston from its home in Culver City, California. Immortals was founded in 2016 with an unprecedented dedication to fan support and player well-being. Committed to creating a long-lasting community of professional gamers, aspiring players, and passionate fans, Immortals and the L.A. Valiant are united by our commitment to camaraderie and competitive excellence. Always remaining true to our values and ethics, the team takes pride in providing an authentic brand that fans can be proud to cheer on to victory.

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