ANN ARBOR, Mich. — On Friday at the fifth annual Michigan Sport Business Conference, two U.S. professional sports team owners confirmed their commitment to pursuing eSports teams.
During the afternoon keynote, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said, “We’re in the hunt right now. It’s insanity.”
In January, Gilbert partnered with Bruin Sports Capital and WPP on a new $35 million fund called Courtside Ventures, which will invest in companies at the intersection of sports, media and technology. Vasu Kulkarni, Founder of Krossover and one of three fund managers, said in January that there is an interest in cutting-edge technology across wearables, virtual reality and eSports.