ONE OF the biggest football powerhouses in the Philippines is entering esports.
United City Football Club, a Clark-based organization, will field Mobile Legends, Valorant, League of Legends: Wild Rift, and, of course, FIFA 21 teams.
Assisting them in this venture is BrenPro, Inc., the esports multimedia organization that also manages Bren Esports.
Eric Gottschalk, the current president of the club and founder of MMC Sportz Asia, announced via Linkedin an opportunity to enter into the esports world.
"The global growth of esports has been tremendous, and we are fortunate that the Philippines' esports scene is growing rapidly, which paves a great path for us to take on this venture," he said.
Gottschalk added: "Currently, there are an estimated 45 million games just in the Philippines, with some of the key titles having over 10 million followers and games participating in organized competitions."
Their "very serious" ambition, continued the executive, hopes to replicate the football team's sporting access.
"[O]ur esports division [will] adhere to the same mission and values that the club has already established," Gottschalk wrote.
Building ties
He likewise expressed his excitement that this recent venture will strengthen the organization’s ties with their local government unit, and broaden the esports grassroots within the Pampanga and Clark region – including New Clark City.
The four titles that United City FC will enter – Mobile Legends, Valorant, League of Legends: Wild Rift, and FIFA 21 – have been identified by the organization as being "relevant" in the country's burgeoning esports industry.
Official rosters, the executive revealed, will be announced in the official UCFC Esports page, with jersey design contest and fan membership initiatives as the "first interactions" in the new esports space.
UCFC is competing in the 2021 AFC Champions League group stages, held in Bangkok, Thailand.
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