London-based firm MDR Brand Management has launched a global esports and interactive entertainment division called NIVO Management.
NIVO Management will operate as a standalone business and focus on player representation while offering consultation to brands looking to enter the space.
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NIVO has already signed a number of esports personalities, including Alex ‘ALEX’ McMeekin, a CS:GO and VALORANT player who most recently played for Cloud9, and Alexandre ‘xms’ Forte, a French VALORANT player who recently signed with Alliance.
Per a release, NIVO was launched in response to the ‘growing demand for player-centric management that is transparent and free from conflicts of interest’.
NIVO is headed by Tom Murray, an Associate within the Sports Group and Esports Group at UK law firm Mishcon de Reya, and is working closely with MDR Brand Management CEO, Daniel Avener.
Murray commented: “We are excited to build on our success in advising leading esports professionals on their legal affairs with the launch of NIVO. Players have made it clear to us that they want their careers and commercial opportunities to be managed with the same professionalism and integrity as we approach our brand management and legal practices. We are here to deliver that.”
NIVO clients will have access to MDR Brand Management’s global network of brands and commercial relationships.
The new esports and interactive entertainment business will be comprised of three strategic platforms: contract negotiations; bespoke strategies to maximise brand opportunities including sponsorship and endorsement deals; and providing ‘holistic management support’.
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Avener added: “As a management business, as opposed to a traditional agent, we put players at the heart of our strategy. By managing negotiations, unlocking brand potential and opening up our global network of specialist advisors and brands, we enable players and talent to focus on what they do best.
“The launch of NIVO as a standalone division marks an important investment for MDR Brand Management in the rapidly expanding esports and interactive entertainment sector,
and builds on our sustained growth over the past three years.”
MDR Brand Management currently operates in 25 locations worldwide. Its recent brand partnerships include Eve Sleep, Revlon, and Paul Frank via Futurity Brands.
Esports Insider says: The market for esports management is heating up as the ecosystem continues to grow and change. Pro players must now consider each career move just as any other athlete would, so the more expert advice, the better. As more management firms launch, it will create healthy competition to ensure that players have options and managers maintain a high level of integrity.