North American franchise growth accelerator Unleashed Brands has acquired youth esports league XP League.
As a result of the deal, the accelerator will act as the parent company of the league. XP League currently hosts tournaments in Fortnite, Rocket League, and VALORANT.
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The deal marks the fifth acquisition for Unleashed Brands in the space of nine months. With a focus on ‘helping kids learn, play, and grow,’ the accelerator’s portfolio includes children’s gym The Little Gym and college planning platform Class 101.
Founded in 2020, XP League provides player and coach training, in addition to hosting tournaments across North America. Its North American Finals event will take place at Full Sail University in June.
Michael O. Browning Jr., Founder and CEO of Unleashed Brands, spoke on the acquisition: “The addition of XP League into our family of brands is exciting for us with the value of the global esports market projected to reach $2bn in the next year. There’s so much room for growth and product innovation into the future. We are excited to welcome Jay into our leadership team with his extensive background in business and franchising.”
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Financial figures of the acquisition were not dsiclosed.
Jay Melamed, Founder of XP League, also commented: “I am thrilled to have XP League join a brand group with such a strong vision and culture centred on reaching kids throughout their life stages as they play, learn, and grow. Our company shares so many common core values with Unleashed Brands, which made this integration an easy decision for us.”
Esports Insider says: Youth esports is a key area in order to cultivate fresh interest in what the industry has to offer. XP League joining forces with Unleashed Brands will allow the league to grow into new markets within North America.
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