NEW YORK (Monday, March 29, 2021) – Rival has partnered with leading sports and entertainment agency Wasserman in the areas of partnership development and innovation to support its business as an enterprise platform solution, connecting traditional sports properties, organizations and brands with the growing gaming and esports culture.

“Rival has made some significant leadership and business moves in the last several months as we’ve quickly onboarded and expanded our partnerships roster,” said Rival CEO Matt Virtue. “Wasserman’s deep expertise and relationships in the sports, entertainment and lifestyle space are a perfect complement to support Rival’s marketing and business development teams.”

With the partnership, Wasserman will provide Rival with support in the areas of commercialization and go-to-market strategies, innovation, analytics and talent integration, leaning into Wasserman’s vast network across sports and entertainment brands, properties and organizations. Together, they will maximize Rival’s partner investment and develop innovative programming to engage with and drive loyalty with the high-growth and highly engaged gaming community, while also creating new revenue opportunities.

“The alignment of Rival’s unique enterprise platform solution with Wasserman’s renowned relationships across major leagues, teams and brands will prove our shared commitment: to add value to the sports and entertainment landscape,” said Wasserman Senior Vice President, Properties Zack Sugarman. “We’re connecting around our constant pursuit of innovation, and the result will be new ways for teams, brands and fans to engage with each other around shared passions. In a market looking for effective solutions, this partnership is a distinct advantage for those willing to explore new opportunities.”

Rival has onboarded more than 20 clients in the last six months across sports properties, media companies and brands, and its partnership roster includes the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Aston Villa of the English Premier League, Watford of the EFL Championship, the Amateur Athletic Union, to name a few.

Rival will be working with Wasserman’s Properties Consulting team in the Wasserman Marketing group, effective immediately.

About Rival

Rival provides a first-of-its-kind, enterprise platform solution that empowers companies and organizations to leverage the popularity of gaming and esports to acquire new customers, drive engagement, build a loyal community around their brands and create new revenue streams. Through its proprietary technology, Rival connects the massive global appeal and audience of gaming and esports with sports teams, leagues, brands and media properties. With operations in two continents, Rival’s current partnership roster includes the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Aston Villa of the English Premier League, Watford of EFL Championship, as well as organizations including the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). For more information, visit goRival.com.

About Wasserman

Wasserman is a partner to the world’s most iconic brands, properties and talent in their endeavors across sports, entertainment and culture. Our purpose is to transform the businesses and careers of clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman operates globally in more than 20 cities, including London, New York, Toronto, Raleigh, Carlsbad, The Hague, Portland and Shanghai. Learn more at TeamWass.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn