Misfits Gaming Group (“MGG”) has expanded its current partnership with Florida based NBA teams the Miami HEAT and the Orlando Magic. The unique collaboration enables both NBA teams to include all MGG properties in strategic partnership opportunities and provides MGG with access to a wide variety of non-endemic brands interested in the esports market.
The collaborative partnership brings all three Florida organizations together to develop further opportunities in the endemic and non-endemic space, providing brands with more access to teams and audiences and a higher degree of sponsorship options across the different teams and markets. The Miami HEAT and the Orlando Magic have the rights to include MGG in partnership deals and both teams will assist in marketing, promotion, digital, and sponsorship sales on behalf of MGG.
The Miami HEAT and the Orlando Magic have both made ongoing commitments to esports through their partnership with MGG and their respective NBA2K teams: HEAT Check Gaming and Magic Gaming. This expanded partnership brings MGG closer to NBA partners and audience, while simultaneously opening opportunities for the Miami HEAT and the in Orlando Magic to integrate meaningfully and naturally into the wider and global esports world with access to Overwatch League, Call of Duty League, League of Legends European Championship and Fortnite.
“The Miami HEAT and the Orlando Magic are innovators in sports, and we’re incredibly proud to expand our relationship and kick off the first year of a strategic partnership together,” said Lagen Nash, SVP of Partnerships for Misfits Gaming Group. “This partnership lays the foundation for Florida’s premier NBA and esports franchises to bring together specialist market knowledge and to raise the profile of esports in Florida.”
“We’ve been a partner of MGG from its early stages and have been proud to watch it grow into one of the premier franchises in esports,” said Glen Oskin, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for the Miami HEAT. “This new partnership including the Orlando Magic allows MGG and our partners to increase their visibility throughout the state of Florida while allowing Florida’s NBA franchises to further extend our footprint in the esports space. It’s a win-win situation for all of us.”
“The Orlando Magic is thrilled to team up with the Miami HEAT and Misfits Gaming on this first-of-its-kind partnership,” said Orlando Magic Vice President of Partnership Activation and Strategy J.T. McWalters. “As we work towards being esports leaders in the state of Florida, we will join forces to assist esports brands in targeting new revenue opportunities and strategic partnerships in the market.”
About Misfits Gaming Group (MGG)
Misfits Gaming Group (MGG) is a global esports and entertainment company. We compete in some of the most successful video game titles worldwide and are permanent partners in three franchised esports leagues: Riot Games’ European League of Legends Championship Series (Misfits Gaming), Activision-Blizzard’s Overwatch League (Florida Mayhem), and Activision-Blizzard’s Call of Duty League (Florida Mutineers). Additionally, MGG has launched the $10M incubator and seed fund MSF/IO which is positioned to invest into the next generation of esports and gaming entrepreneurs. MGG utilizes world-class management and a deep understanding of the esports ecosystem to capitalize on the rampant global enthusiasm for esports and establish fruitful partnerships with international brands and organizations.
About The HEAT Group
The HEAT Group is comprised of the National Basketball Association’s Miami HEAT and the 19,600-seat AmericanAirlines Arena. The HEAT is a three-time NBA Champion having won titles in 2006, 2012 and 2013 and is a celebrated leader in every discipline of the business of basketball. AmericanAirlines Arena, home of the HEAT, is a LEED Gold Recertified, award-winning, state-of-the-art facility, which hosts over 150 events per year. AmericanAirlines Arena has maintained its position as the #1 Arena in Florida for the fifth consecutive year, has claimed the #14 spot in the United States, and has placed #24 in the world according to Pollstar’s 2019 year-end rankings of the world’s top arenas. The Arena is located on the waterfront in the thriving arts and entertainment district in downtown Miami. For more information, please visit HEAT.com and AAArena.com.
About The Orlando Magic
Orlando’s NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic’s mission is to be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way. Under the DeVos family’s ownership, the Magic have seen great success in a relatively short history, winning six division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019) with seven 50-plus win seasons and capturing the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009. Off the court, on an annual basis, the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. Orlando Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 7,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF) which serves at-risk youth, has distributed more than $25 million to local nonprofit community organizations over the last 30 years. The Magic’s other entities include the team’s NBA G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, which began play in the 2017-18 season in nearby Lakeland, Fla.; the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, which serves as the affiliate to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning; and Magic Gaming, of the NBA 2K League, which began play in the spring of 2018. The Magic play their home games at the award-winning Amway Center, honored with TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ 2013 Customer Experience Award and named SportsBusiness Journal’s 2012 Sports Facility of the Year.
