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L.A. is Ground Zero for Amateur eSports
L.A. is Ground Zero for Amateur eSports
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Professional eSports is now a multibillion dollar industry, and amateur leagues are beginning to grow alongside them. Freelancer William D'Urso takes a look at two models gaining ground in Los Angeles that encourage gamers to play in person, in the tradition of little league sports. Meanwhile, senior reporter Ben Bergman reports on Virgin Galactic's curious stock boom, and SoCal-based Liquid Death canned water and Telemedicine company Cloudbreak Health announce new funding.
In the age of wireless internet, any place with a strong connection is a potential tournament site. Santa Monica-based Super League and Philadelphia's Nerd Street Gamers are looking beyond professional gaming, focusing instead on turning amateurs into little league players. With the nation's largest high school district, L.A. is a perfect place to test the waters. "Those schools are full of kids who would love to take advantage of these kinds of opportunities," says Nerd Street Gamers CEO John Fazio. Read more >>
Virgin Galactic stock has been surging this year, up more than 200%. The Mojave-based company now has a market capitalization of $7.2 billion, even though it only generated $3 million in revenue last year. Why all the excitement? No one seems to know, including Morgan Stanley, which issued a research note Thursday expressing bewilderment. Read more>>
Federal lawmakers are asking Amazon to provide details on Ring's partnerships with local police dating back to 2013. The smart doorbell and surveillance camera company has been navigating scrutiny from the government and privacy advocates for months. "The subcommittee is examining traditional constitutional protections against surveilling Americans and the balancing of civil liberties and security interests," writes Raja Krishnamoorthi, chair of the subcommittee on economic and consumer policy. Read more >>
In funding news, Liquid Death reported the startup water brand raised $9 million in Series A funding. Telemedicine company Cloudbreak Health received a $10 million investment from Columbia Partners Private Capital.