Enthusiast Gaming Hires Top Gaming Media Sales Team to Drive Revenue Growth


  • Combined experience with gaming brands Electronic Arts, PlayStation and Sony
  • Sales team will build customized, targeted advertising programs for brands looking to target Enthusiast’s monthly reach of 200 million gamers
  • A focus on a direct sales strategy will increase revenue per user and provide good value for advertisers

TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX)(FSE: 2AV) (“Enthusiast Gaming” or the “Company”) announced today it has hired an executive sales team across North America to help drive direct advertising sales across Enthusiast Gaming’s platform, the largest gaming network in the U.S.

Enthusiast Gaming is excited to welcome the new team, led by Jon Dwyer, SVP, Head of Sales and Special Partnerships; Amanda Rubin, VP Sales, East Coast and Rob Frohling, VP Sales, West Coast. The team brings extensive experience in gaming media sales with brands like Electronic Arts (“EA”), PlayStation and Sony. The new sales team will build out our offices in LA, NY and Toronto, engaging new and existing relationships with brands and agencies.

Menashe Kestenbaum, President of Enthusiast Gaming commented, “We are excited to welcome Jon, Rob and Amanda to our family! We are honored they chose Enthusiast, recognizing the strength in our organization, as the as the largest gaming network in the U.S. with a global monthly audience of over 200 million. Their combined sales experience in gaming media, with leading gaming brands like EA, PlayStation, and Sony Crackle will be key for the growth of our business. Our clients will see immediate value as the team brings deep subject matter expertise, and strong reputations and relationships which will help support our existing clients and bring in new partners across new verticals.”

Enthusiast Gaming’s platform generates over 30 billion ad requests and over 1 billion page views a month. To date, over 95% of Enthusiast Gaming’s revenue generated has been from programmatic advertising; as such implementing a direct sales strategy will enable the Company to drive revenue per user and increase revenue per CPM (cost per thousand impressions).  The direct sales team will allow the Company to monetize across the entire platform of 100 websites, 900 YouTube channels, 7 professional esports teams and over 50 gaming and esports influencers. Direct conversations with brands and agencies will also allow Enthusiast to capitalize on its reach of over 200 million gaming enthusiasts, with custom, direct marketing and promotional campaigns.

Enthusiast Gaming’s business is made up of three key pillars: Media, Esports and Events. As one of the gaming industry’s fastest growing companies with a significant global network of gamers, Enthusiast Gaming enables brands and agencies to reach the sought after millennial target audience, with a customizable, unique program across all three pillars. The Company has partnered with some of the world’s leading brands, including Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft, Foodora, Nintendo, Bell, and Microsoft. Establishing a sales team will be important to continue fostering relationships and driving revenue with brands directly.

Jon Dwyer, SVP, Head of Sales & Special Partnerships

With over 15 years’ experience in sales, business development and marketing, Jon has been CEO and Director of various companies across various industries, including technology, biotech and industrial. Jon was previously Managing Director of Aereus Technologies, where he was responsible for day to day operations and M&A financings. Prior to Aereus, Jon was founder and CEO of Flax Energy. 

Amanda Rubin, VP Sales, East Coast

Amanda Rubin brings over 10 years’ experience in media and advertising to the Enthusiast Gaming team. Initially starting her career in digital as a marketer, planner and buyer of emerging media, Amanda has worked for large brands like Ralph Lauren, Woven Digital and most recently, EA. Before Enthusiast Gaming, Amanda was the Manager, East Coast Sales, at EA. As part of EA’s global brand partnership team, Amanda was the Client Lead on relationships with brands such as Verizon, Coca-Cola, Bose and NBCU. Amanda has worked directly with clients such as Coca-Cola, Bose, GSK, PUMA, New Era, NBCU, Verizon, Tracfone, L'Oreal, Reebok, and New Balance.

Rob Frohling, VP Sales, West Coast

Prior to joining Enthusiast Gaming, Rob served 4 years as Senior Account Executive of Digital Advertising Sales for Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation. He helped build their OTT / video ad sales while also heading up their branded content and sponsorship business for Emmy nominated original shows like Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and SuperMansion. Rob also helped create custom, native advertising business on Sony PlayStation and PlayStation VR with overall revenue responsibility and OTT advertising leadership for Sony Crackle, PlayStation, PlayStation Vue, Pluto TV and Funimation streaming TV services. Before Sony, Rob spent 2 years as Account Executive of National Ad Sales for Outfront Media, the largest Out Of Home organization in North America. Rob is recognized as an agent of change in Connected TV/Over the Top (OTT) Video, Mobile and Console Gaming Advertising with a high energy approach to exceeding revenue targets. 

About Enthusiast Gaming 

Enthusiast Gaming (TSX.V: EGLX)(FSE: 2AV) is building the largest network of gaming and esports communities in the world. Already the largest gaming network in the U.S, the Company’s business is comprised of three main pillars: Media, Events, Esports. Enthusiast Gaming’s digital media platform includes +100 gaming related websites and 900 YouTube channels which collectively reach 150 million visitors monthly with over 1 billion page views. Enthusiast’s esports division, Luminosity Gaming, a leading global esports franchise consists of 7 professional esports teams under ownership and management, including the #1 ranked Overwatch team, the Vancouver Titans, and over 50 gaming influencers with a total audience of 60 million followers. Collectively, the integrated ecosystem reaches over 200 million gaming enthusiasts on a monthly basis. Enthusiast Gaming’s event business, owns and operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo, EGLX, (eglx.com) with approximately 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com. For more information on Luminosity Gaming, please visit luminosity.gg

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Investor Relations: 

Julia Becker
Head of Investor Relations & Marketing
jbecker@enthusiastgaming.com
(604) 785.0850 

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements.  Forward looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future.  Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including risks related to factors beyond the control of Enthusiast Gaming.  The risks include risks that are customary to transactions of this nature and customary to companies which have their stock traded on the TSXV. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits Enthusiast Gaming will obtain from them. 

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States.  The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to a U.S. Person unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

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