Immortals appoint former NHL executive as President and Chief Operating Officer

06 October 2017

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Los Angeles based esports organisation Immortals has announced the capture of Ari Segal, the former Chief Operating Officer for the Arizona Coyotes (NHL). Segal will join the company as President and Chief Operating Officer and will report directly to the company’s CEO, Noah Whinston. 

Noah Whinston, Immortals

Immortals has fast become one of the biggest esports organisations out there. The team now competes in pretty much every major title being one of the only organisations to compete in all of the “big three”. The organisation not only has a League of Legends, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team, but it has also secured one of the Los Angeles spots for the Overwatch League which will get underway in the latter part of this year. 

Furthermore, the organisation is one that has attracted a huge amount of investment from various non-endemic sources. The likes of AEG, Lionsgate, the Milken Family, Steve Kaplan, Crosscut Ventures and an array of other investors have all got involved thus showing the growth and stature of the organisation. 

Segal, in his new role, will oversee all of Immortals’ business operations both at the holding company level and across all current and future titles in which the organisation decides to compete. He will also serve as a non-voting Board Advisor on the Immortals’ Board of Directors. 

“Ari brings a wealth of knowledge and passion from the traditional sports industry and has a proven track record of building or repositioning brands to connect deeply with fans, particularly in their local markets. Innovation, access, transparency, and accountability are all hallmarks of his brand-building strategy and management style, making him the ideal fit for this critical role in our organization,” commented Noah Whinston, CEO of Immortals.

Immortals Chairman, and Managing Director of CrossCut, Clinton Foy added, “Ari has worked with our investors, partners, and AEG, in multiple cities and live sports venues. As we think about the future for Immortals, hosting live events and building our revenue streams, I believe we found a great fit and a world-class executive in Ari Segal. His operating experience, strong relationships, and proven success working with strategic partners are all huge assets for Immortals, our business team, our franchises, and our fans.”

As aforementioned, Segal brings with him a wealth of experience from the traditional sports world, mainly from the NHL. In his most recent role, he led the Arizona Coyotes to a season with their highest ever single-season ticket sales and total revenue. Prior, he had also worked as Special Assistant to the CEO of the Anaheim Ducks – also in the NHL, and oversaw the launch of the San Diego Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate. 

Esports Insider: We’re seeing folk who have forged careers in traditional sports make the leap more and more often to esports and this is no different. This looks a solid appointment from Immortals as they look to continue their growth and make a success of their LA OWL slot.