Atlanta Esports Alliance launched by Atlanta Sports Council

Atlanta Sports Council has announced the launch of the Atlanta Esports Alliance, a division designed to drive esports and gaming events to the metro Atlanta area.

Atlanta Esports Alliance plans to bring “new opportunities for teams, tournaments, venues and esports service providers and partners” to the area.

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Upon launch, Atlanta Esports Alliance has appointed Bas Bruinekool, Director of Global Festivals and Vice President of DreamHack as an honourary board member in celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary.

Bruinekool commented on the initiative in a release: “It is truly remarkable to see how far the esports and video game industry has come since the beginning of DreamHack 25 years ago. We first brought this festival to Atlanta because of how quickly this industry was growing here — three years later, we are proud to say it is still one of only three U.S. markets we are currently visiting. I am proud to represent DreamHack as an honorary board member of the Atlanta Esports Alliance, and look forward to working together to grow the esports ecosystem not just in Georgia, but all over the world.”

Atlanta is home to three franchised esports teams including the Atlanta Reign, Hawks Talon, and the newly-formed Atlanta FaZe. The likes of Hi-Rez Studios, Blue Mammoth, Scuf Gaming, and ELEAGUE all call Atlanta home, as well.

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In 2017, Atlanta Sports Council launched the Championship Hosting Division, a sector that focuses on “streamlining efficiencies for planning and producing major sports events locally,” which will collaborate with Atlanta Esports Alliance.

Dan Corso, President of Atlanta Sports Council spoke to the company’s newest initiative: “Our goal is to continue being forward thinking. As we look ahead to the next decade, esports is going to continue to dominate the sports industry, and it was important for us as an organization to cement Atlanta as the capital of esports and use this platform as yet another economic driver.”

Atlanta Esports Alliance is a collaborative effort between hardware manufacturers, game developers, media partners, and professional team owners with the backing of companies such as the Georgia Game Developers and Skillshot Media.

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Todd Harris, CEO of Skillshot Media – who will serve as Chair of Atlanta Esports Alliance – also commented on the venture: “Atlanta is a top esports city because we have the venues and infrastructure required to host major events plus all the elements unique to the esports ecosystem: local game publishers, tournament organizers, over a dozen salaried professional esports teams and, most importantly, a community that games,” said Harris. “Additionally, our K-12 and higher education systems have recognized and sanctioned esports as a varsity activity, and the Atlanta business community also understands the value of esports and its audience.”

Esports Insider says: The creation of the Atlanta Esports Alliance could be a massive leap forward for the gaming industry as a whole. Atlanta Sports Council has had a heavy hand in the development of Atlanta as a sporting event destination and – with its new division, as well as Atlanta’s pre-existing gaming community – we’re expecting big projects to head to the Big Peach in the future.

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