Teamworks enters esports with OverActive Media partnership

Toronto-based esports organisation OverActive Media (OAM) has entered into a partnership with athlete engagement platform Teamworks.

All OverActive Media-owned franchises – Toronto Defiant, Toronto Ultra, MAD Lions, OAM Live – as well as front office staff, will use Teamworks’ software and platform app with the goal of improving team communications and scheduling. The partnership marks Teamworks’ first foray into esports.

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Founded in 2004, Teamworks is an athlete engagement platform that provides services for communicating and scheduling within an organisation from messaging to tracking projects, scheduling itineraries, and completing forms. The platform is designed to create “a culture of communication and accountability.” It is currently used by 2,000 NCAA Division I programs including every Autonomous Conference institution; professional teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, and EPL; collegiate and professional conferences; and national governing bodies.

Adam Adamou, Chief Strategy Officer at OverActive Media, commented on the benefits of the agreement in a release: “Our partnership with Teamworks and the use of their platform will provide more structure, promote discipline and strengthen accountability to our entire organization, including our players. One of the most important elements of this new tool for our business is the usability of the platform. It is app-based and digitally-native, allowing us to communicate with our teams and players on a level they understand.”

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OverActive Media hit the ground running when it burst onto the esports scene in 2018. The organisation acquired Splyce, partnered with Canadian multi-millionaire Kimel family to fund and operate the Overwatch League team Toronto Defiant, joined the Call of Duty League with Toronto Ultra, then entered the League of Legends European Championship by acquiring Spanish esports organisation MAD Lions and combining it with Splyce. 

Zach Maurides, CEO and Founder of Teamworks, added: “We are excited to welcome OverActive Media, our first esports partner, into the Teamworks family. The Teamworks’ mission is to engage players and give each sports organization the necessary tools to streamline their communication and operations. Similar to other professional sports teams, we partner with leagues like the NFL and EPL, OverActive players and staff operate at their highest potential when communication is standardized and outside distractions are muted. This is especially key as OverActive uses Teamworks to connect its players and staff from different parts of the globe.”

Esports Insider says: Despite a number of layoffs in April, OAM appears to be moving full-steam ahead. The organisation operates across multiple continents and esports franchises, so keeping everyone on the same page through a platform like Teamworks makes perfect sense. It’s also interesting to see Teamworks enter esports, tackling the massive scale of an organisation like OAM and all its moving parts.

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