The Toronto-based gaming entertainment company said it’s struck a deal with the football league to hold weekly gaming nights in the U.S. and Canada throughout the 2022–23 season. Current and former NFL players and popular gaming influencers will live-stream video games on the league’s YouTube channel. Enthusiast president Bill Kara declined to disclose the financial details of the partnership and said it’s meant to “expand the NFL’s overall reach in gaming audiences.” (The Logic)
Talking point: The deal comes during a time of transition for Enthusiast, which owns video-game news websites, e-sports platforms and “casual” games site Addicting Games. In May, the firm’s largest shareholder and a group of executives sought to replace CEO Adrian Montgomery, citing concerns about the company’s culture and direction. The company announced it was seeking a new CEO in July and reshuffled its upper management ranks a month later. Kara told The Logic he believes the new deal will “lead to a significant increase in direct sales in 2023” and allow the company to “sell brands alongside the NFL shield.”