Activision Blizzard has today appointed Steve Bornstein, former ESPN CEO, as chairman of the company’s newly established eSports division. In addition, Mike Sepso, co-founder and former president of Major League Gaming, has been recognized as the division’s senior vice president.
Although no specific outline was mentioned concerning the future for the new division, the announcement reports intentions to “build on the company’s competitive gaming leadership by creating all-new ways to deliver the best-in-class fan experience.”
This information comes not long after Activision announced a Call of Duty eSports league beginning in January 2016 with a prize pool of $3 million. As it stands, it appears Activision Blizzard have their sights aimed high, as Bornstein stated, “I believe eSports will rival the biggest traditional sports leagues in terms of future opportunities, and between advertising, ticket sales, licensing, sponsorships and merchandising.”