ICON, one of the largest esports organizations in Australia, have just announced the acquisition of the Chiefs esports club! This means two huge forces in Australian esports have now combined, mashing together all that expertise, experience and resources into one huge powerhouse.
For those worried about what this means for the Chiefs, never fear! Their brand will remain unchanged and all current esports teams will keep competing under the Chiefs label, working their hardest to deliver those wins and keep up the peak performance their fans have come to expect. This also means the Team ICON team will be dissolved, and the ICON Rocket League team will compete under the Chiefs banner in the upcoming Dreamhack Pro Circuit Tour, as well as for the foreseeable future.
ICON and the Chiefs have really made sure to emphasize that other than the above minor changes, the Chiefs as a brand will remain completely intact, unchanged and untouched other than having the extra support from ICON. The Chiefs currently plan to compete in League of Legends (OPL & OCS), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Rocket League, Fortnite and PUBG, as well as other titles as they look to expand their reach and player base.
ICON have also announced the launch of their shiny new esports Ecosystem Development Program. Which sounds like kind of a mouthful but is actually a pretty cool concept! It’s designed to service and support all the loyal fans of both ICON and the Chiefs, but also aims to expand the reach of esports throughout the region! ICON is going to use this program as a way to take esports to the mainstream Australia perspective, wanting to break into the broader community. They’re going to announce more about this program in July 2019, with Nick Bober, CEO of ICON, having this to say about both the Chiefs acquisition and the Ecosystem Development Program:
“We are excited to commence the next chapter of our involvement with the esports market here within Oceania and more importantly with the Chiefs. Over the last few months we have made strides to develop new business lines which give back to the fans, grassroots and help promote the local landscape to new audiences. As a business, it’s important to diversify and strategise for the future and we can’t wait to share the activation announcements in July.”
Meet the new team!
With the acquisition of the Chiefs by ICON comes a few changes in management across Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in an effort to make sure both ICON and the Chiefs have the best support to ensure their growth, with members from across a variety of backgrounds and experiences in business and sports industries.
- Nick Bobir is both the director and CEO of ICON
- Frank Li is the director of ICON and CEO of the Chiefs
- Michael Stewart is the operations manager of ICON and the Chiefs
- Joshua Harvey is chief marketing officer of ICON and the Chiefs
Frank Li, founder and CEO of the Chiefs, was particularly excited about the merger with the following statement:
The esports and gaming industry is rapidly growing and fast moving, and it was vital that we found the right partner to help us match the growth along the way and amplify everything we do to the best of our abilities. ICON had the perfect match of first hand experience in the space as well as expertise from outside the industry that is necessary to take us in the right direction. A strong vision for the future was very important to me in choosing the right party and I believe we have found it in ICON.
No doubt interesting times are ahead for these two huge players in the Australian esports industry! We’ll keep our eyes peeled to keep you up to date. Good luck, guys!
