Esports betting company Rivalry has announced a joint venture with Filipino esports organisation Blacklist International that will see both parties enter Dota 2.
Blacklist Rivalry will compete in the 2023 season of the Dota Pro Circuit and has already announced gaming hardware brand Predator as its first partner.
Despite the joint venture officially being revealed over the weekend, Blacklist’s entry into the PC MOBA title was announced in late November. However, the nature of its partnership with Rivalry was not revealed until now.
Blacklist Rivalry has entered the SEA Dota Pro Circuit after acquiring a Division 1 slot from Singapore esports organisation RSG. Moreover, the team’s partnership with Predator will see the Acer brand provide gaming PCs for Blacklist Rivalry’s Predator-branded bootcamp.
According to a release, the joint venture aims to combine Blacklist’s team management expertise and esports experience with Rivalry’s content production and creative resources.
Founded in 2019, Blacklist International is the esports division of Tier One Entertainment. The organisation has primarily found success in the SEA mobile esports scene, particularly within Mobile Legends: Bang Bang as the title’s most recent world champion. Blacklist also fields rosters in Call of Duty: Mobile, Legends of Runeterra and Free Fire.
Tryke Gutierrez, Tier One Entertainment CEO, commented on the organisation’s expansion into Dota 2: “Assembling a decorated team like this won’t guarantee us a win.
“There is still a lot of work to be done for sure but for us in Blacklist, we’re just happy that we’ll get to compete against the best in the world with this roster. This is a dream come true, yes, but we have much bigger dreams and aspirations for this group.”
The joint venture marks another significant development in Rivalry’s growth this year. In May, the company debuted its sportsbook in Australia. Moreover, the company also announced its first-ever profitable month in October 2022.
