North American sports and entertainment company Monumental Sports & Entertainment has launched esports-focused brand Caps Gaming.
The company operates sports teams such as NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, and WNBA’s Washington Mystics.
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Caps Gaming aims to help develop NHL’s esports scene, hosting the ‘Caps Gaming Showcase’ – a 32-team, six-versus-six competition on Xbox One. Starting with an eight-week regular season, the event will see 16 teams proceed on to a single-elimination tournament.
The top four teams from the tournament will be flown to Washington, DC for a live event in late February. The total prize pool for the showcase is $15,000 (£11,686.50).
Zach Leonsis, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Monumental Sports & Entertainment discussed the venture in a release: “Esports is a key initiative for us at Monumental and we are thrilled to add Caps Gaming to the family as we continue to tap into a new generation of fans. We are excited to welcome John to The District and look forward to hosting the premier NHL competition with the Caps Gaming Showcase in early December.”
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This isn’t Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s entrance into esports, however. It operates Wizards District Gaming, one of 21 NBA 2K League sides, and invested in Team Liquid in September 2016.
North American research firm Leidos will act as the presenting partner of Caps Gaming, presenting the Caps Gaming Showcase and having its branding integrated in the team’s live broadcasts.
Esports Insider says: This is essentially Monumental Sports & Entertainment doubling down on esports that are based on traditional sports, something we haven’t seen all that much in the industry thus far. Aims to develop NHL’s esports scene, which admittedly isn’t anywhere near the top tier of titles, will be a lot of work but is commendable nonetheless.
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