eSports: Opportunities and Challenges in an Emerging Industry

Thursday, March 1st
5:30 p.m. Registration & Networking
6:00 p.m. Program/Panel Discussion

eSports have exploded in popularity over the past few years. Professional eSports teams are popping up, major brands are clamoring for sponsorship opportunities and fans are filling massive stadiums to watch tournaments while millions of others stream the content from their devices. Experts estimate that eSports revenue could reach $1.5 billion by 2020 – securing its stature as a force in sports, technology and media. Join us on March 1st for a panel discussion on the current landscape of the eSports industry, a view of where it is heading, and the challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face as they start new ventures in this field. Panelists will discuss various aspects of eSports ranging from technology to regulatory issues to their experiences as entrepreneurs, investors and leaders in the eSports world.

Speakers Include:

Moderator: Jack Steele, Partner, Pierce Atwood LLC
Jim Ferris, Managing Director, CLTX Gaming
Mike Sepso, SVP Activision Blizzard; Co-Founder, Major League Gaming
Joe Zhou, Co-Founder & CEO, Firstblood.io

Speaker Biographies:

Jim Ferris
Managing Director
CLTX Gaming

Jim Ferris works for the Celtics as their Managing Director of CLTX Gaming, the Celtics new franchise competing in the NBA 2K League. Ferris has two decades of experience in sports and interactive entertainment. Prior to the Celtics, Ferris spent more than 13 years at Electronic Arts in roles ranging from Marketing Director to Producer, and focused on competitive gaming franchises that included NFL Street, NASCAR, Battlefield and Need for Speed. Before joining EA, Ferris worked in Product Management at Hasbro Interactive leading their marketing efforts in Racing.

Mike Sepso
SVP, Activision Blizzard
Co-Founder, Major League Gaming

Mike Sepso is Senior Vice President of Activision Blizzard Media Networks, a division he launched with Steve Bornstein, devoted to creating the best esports experiences for fans across games, platforms and geographies. With a focus on global strategy and brand partnerships across the Activision Blizzard portfolio, Mike continues to build on his experience as a pioneer in the commercialization of esports properties. While managing the larger partnerships in the portfolio; including HP and Intel, Mike provides valuable insights into sales and distribution gleaned from his early history launching the first professional gaming league in North America.

Prior to joining Activision Blizzard, Mike was the co-founder and president of Major League Gaming (MLG), a global leader in esports. Mike launched MLG with co-founder Sundance DiGiovanni in 2002 and over the past 14 years has been a leading force in the development of the global esports industry. In addition to signing the first major non-endemic sponsors; including Dr. Pepper, Old Spice, and Boost Mobile, Mike launched the first professional gaming circuit in North America and co-created and executive produced the first esports television series on USA Networks in 2006.

Prior to founding MLG, Mike was co-founder and co-CEO of Gotham Broadband, an early innovator in the broadband content and video streaming industry. He also launched a digital startup incubator and has been a proponent of the tech startup community in New York City for 20 years as an entrepreneur, investor, advisor and mentor. Mike is a graduate of Babson College with a bachelor of science in management and has been a resident of New York City for 23 years.

Joe Zhou
Co-Founder & CEO
Firstblood.io

Joe is the first entrepreneur in residence for Babson GEIR program. He is currently the CEO & Co-Founder at FirstBlood, a blockchain based Esports competition platform and also one of the first companies who successfully raised funding through Ethereum blockchain.

Prior to FirstBlood, Joe founded Alt-Options, the first Bitcoin options trading platform based in the US. In addition, Joe is an avid investor and advisor in blockchain space. He's a partner at NewBlock Capital - an investment fund that focuses in FinTech and Blockchain -- and a chartered anti-money laundering specialist (ACAMS). Joe holds a BSBA in finance and entrepreneurship from at Boston University, Questrom School of Business. Joe is a Gold III League of Legends player and he also plays alto and soprano saxophone.

Thank you to our sponsor!

About Pierce Atwood

At Pierce Atwood LLP, we help entrepreneurs and start-ups as they grow into profitable businesses. Our Catalyst Program is designed to get an idea off the ground, protect intellectual property, access funding, and address basic legal requirements. We welcome clients with creative ideas and disruptive new technologies, and tailor our legal services to their specific needs, and offer flexible fee arrangements. Our Catalyst attorneys are experienced business advisers who know the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead and help clients prepare for them. You have a passion for what you do. So do we.