INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In an effort to tie the top gamers and streamers more directly with their fans, a new company called Quarterback has just raised $2.5
million to create and manage fan-based leagues for the superstars of the esports and streaming world.
The company raked in its seed round
from investors led by Bitkraft Esports, which is quickly building one of the most complete portfolios of gaming-related startups in the
Additional investors include Crest Capital Ventures, Deep Space Ventures, UpWest Labs and angel investors.
Essentially, it a platform for
creating gaming leagues and content driven not by game publishers, leagues, or existing streaming sites like Twitch, but by the gamers
It gives streamers and players a new way to reach their audience, the company claims.
Founded by serial entrepreneur Jonathan Weinberg, who
acted as the chief executive for Round Robin and held a leadership role in the mobile game studio Spartonix, Quarterback is the latest
attempt to get more revenue into the hands of gamers.
Leagues created on Quarterback can host daily challenges, give away prizes and compete
against fan clubs devoted to other top players.
Esports streamers and gamers are among the most bankable influencers, pitching to a new
generation of consumers that don&t track traditional media sources
The ability to host and own their own channels gives these streamers an ability to create their own game libraries, cultivate a next
generation of talent and encourage one-to-one interactions on platforms they control.
&Most streamers and pros struggle to monetize their
fan-base and lose touch with their audience when the fans break away to play their own games,& says Jens Hilgers, a founding partner of
Bitkraft Esports Ventures
&Quarterback solves this problem in a unique way by helping streamers become an integral part of their fan game-play.&
