Rick Fox bought ‘Gravity Gaming,’ will rename the team as ‘Echo Fox’

Rick Fox, three-time NBA champion is stepping into the virtual sports with a new title. The former NBA player has bought League of Legends eSports team Gravity. The ex-Laker has rebranded the team as Echo Fox.

The terms of this deal were not disclosed. IGN reported that the other eSports teams were sold at around US$1 million (approx. AU$ 1.4 million). Fox isn’t the only NBA member who is interested in League of Legends. Mark Cuban and Sacramento Kings have also shown interest, specifically in League of Legends. Sacramento Kings co-owners have purchased a spot in League of Legends.

In eSports, the audience is growing overwhelmingly every year. Several sources have reported that the overall global audience for eSports is more than 200 million worldwide. What makes eSports more popular is that people can watch video-game players competing against each other live. Fox is an actor and ex-NBA player. The team which he has acquired, made two top six finishes in the spring and summer seasons of League of Legends hosted in US. The team did not qualify for the world championship.

By 2018, the overall revenue is expected to hit a whopping US$ 1 billion (approx AU $1.4 billion). Bloomberg reported that this year, eSports closed its first US TV deal. The league of “Counter Strike: Global Offensive” will start in the summer of 2016. The Shooter game competition will be hosted in Atlanta and will be aired on Friday nights.

Published by Riot Games, League of Legends appears as one of the most popular games. In 2014, more than 27 million people reportedly watched the League of Legends World Championship. This year, 11,000 fans gathered at Madison Square Garden to see the NBA finals.

“I see the way that the eSports world is growing and I know we are on the verge of something massive,” Fox said in a statement, as reported by Breitbart.

Fox said in a formal press release that as a professional athlete and a member of gaming community he understands the eSports is growing, Breitbart reported. He shared his excitement saying he is glad to project himself in a leadership role that relates to his prior experience in entertainment, gaming and sports.

2016 Preseason Spotlight (Credit: YouTube/League of Legends)

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