Esports

Report: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Builds Front Office Esports Team with Riot, ESPN Veterans


Mentioned in this article

  • Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) has hired writer-turned esports consultant Alex Rubens and ESPN senior editor Ryan Garfat for its esports operations.
  • Rubens and Garfat will help lead operations for the Overwatch League team the Los Angeles Gladiators and Call of Duty League team the Los Angeles Guerillas.
  • The hire of Rubens and Garfat are the first for Kroenke Sports & Entertainment’s new esports front office, established after parting ways with The Sentinals in September.

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) has made the first two hires for its new esports front office, according to a report. Los Angeles Rams Director of Content Strategy Alex Rubins, and ESPN senior editor Ryan Garfat will help lead operations for KSE’s teams in the Overwatch League (OWL) and new Call of Duty League (CDL).

Both teams—Los Angeles Gladiators in OWL and Los Angeles Guerillas in CDL—are scheduled to compete in 2020.

Garfat helped launch ESPN’s digital esports editorial group in December 2015 and oversaw operations prior to his exit. He and Rubins will also be involved operationally with the new 6,000-person venue constructed adjacent to the Rams new home, SoFi Stadium, in Inglewood, California.

ESPN reports that Rubins will continue his work with the Rams in addition to team operations for the Gladiators and Guerrillas, while KSE develops a “more concrete” plan for esports. Prior to his work with the Rams, Rubins served as a media relations strategist and communications rep for Riot Games, then moved to YouTube, where he managed esports content and partnerships.

KSE’s new esports front office was established following a mutual separation with OWL team, the Los Angeles Sentinals in September. KSE attempted to purchase Echo Fox’s League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) franchise spot. According to a lawsuit filed by Sentinals CEO Ron Moore and subsequently settled, KSE did not make him aware of the potential acquisition, despite a verbal agreement to do so.



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