Houston Rockets is making a jump eSports. The NBA franchise is working together with former Team Archon co-owner Sebastian Park to come up with a plan to enter the competitive-gaming market.
Houston Rockets are not the first from the NBA community to plunge into esports. It was the Philadelphia 76ers who pioneered first to invest in esports when they purchased Team Apex and Team Dignitas in September. In addition, The Chairman of NRG eSports or North American eSports Organization is the Co-owner of the Sacramento Kings, Andy Miller. Also, NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal is an investor in the club that competes in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends.
Recently, the surprisingly large franchises are deciding that now is the time to enter the eSports scene. Houston Rockets is hiring the ex-CEO of defunct Team Archon, Sebastian Park, as their new director of eSports development. Team Archon is behind the games "Hearthstone," "Dota 2." The Rockets are taking a different approach and it begins and ends with Park. The future is ambiguous for the kind of involvement the team is concerned in. Park, however, told the Bloomberg nothing is off the table.
He added that they are going to look at everything. He further said that the Houston Rockets are willingly admitting that they have limited knowledge about the world of eSports according to ESPN. He goes on saying that a lot of people have a myopic view towards eSports and he said that the team can count on him to change that perspective. He closed saying that the Rockets can approach the new venture not from the point of view of a start-up but rather as an organization. This organizational perspective must have aims of being the major player in eSports.
Sebastian Park starts on December 1 as director of eSports development. He is tasked to assess how the Houston Rockets and owner Les Alexander can join the $500 million industry.
