New York Rangers Name Esports Entertainment As Official Esports Tournament Provider

Article ByStan Fox

June 29, 2021

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Posted in: New York Gambling News, US Sports Betting News

The New York Rangers has named Esports Entertainment Group the official tournament provider for the ice hockey team, beginning July 1.

The deal announced Wednesday will allow the Malta-based esports and online gambling company to operate three Rangers-themed esports tournaments via its Esports Gaming League brand and platform.

Both entities will work together to create custom videos aimed at promoting these tournaments across all Rangers’ digital platforms. Each tournament will include prizes such as Rangers merchandise and memorabilia.

The New York Rangers – which competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the East Division – plays its home games at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.

The Rangers are owned by Madison Square Garden Sports Corp (MSG Sports).

Esports Gaming League

Esports Gaming League hosts digital and live esports tournaments and events, allowing gamers to compete and enjoy an extensive range of content relating to esports and video games on a proprietary technology platform.

Other services include full turnkey esports events, live broadcast production, online branded tournaments, and game launches.

Dan Fleeter, Vice President, Business Operations, MSG Sports, said:

“Over the last few years, We’ve hosted many amateur esports tournaments with our esports organization CLG… and we can’t wait to expand on this with the Rangers.”

Fleeter said the MSG Sports looks forward to a stable and mutually rewarding relationship with Esports Entertainment, believing this would be an ideal opportunity to connect with an audience interested in hockey and gaming.

Shared Benefits

Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment, welcomed another top professional sports team to its tournament platform. While sharing the level of excitement expressed by MSG Sports’ representative, Johnson said EEG looks forward to working with the Rangers as they extend their brand to the ever-expanding world of esports.

Magnus Leppaniemi, President of Esports at EEG, said the company looks forward to helping Rangers achieve their goals in the new arena. “We’re quickly becoming the industry standard tournament platform for pro sports, as teams recognize the ability of our platform to meet the demanding needs of large-scale deployments,” Leppaniemi said in a news release.

EEG Continues Aggressive Growth Agenda

This is not the first such association for the Malta-based esports company in the United States. Esports Entertainment Group has previously inked deals with other renowned sports entities, such as Cleveland Cavaliers, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, LA Kings, LA Galaxy, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Besides esports, the EEG also extends sports betting offerings and is looking to enter the US market. In May, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) gave EEG’s subsidiary – GMBL – a sports betting license, allowing the company to submit its app to the DGE testing lab and apply for a Transactional Waiver.

EEG expects its esports-centered offering up and running in New Jersey by the end of its first fiscal quarter.

The company already operated digital gambling operations in some parts of Europe, with plans to further expand in the continent. Last month, Esports Entertainment announced the purchase of online casino and sportsbook operator Bethard – a deal that will allow the company access to Swedish and Spanish gambling markets.