Billionaire Usmanov to Invest $100m in Virtus.pro.

[Bradyns]

[QUOTE]Billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s USM Holdings agreed to invest about $100 million in Russia’s largest online sports company as live-streaming of video game tournaments attracts interest from businesses such as Amazon.com Inc. and Time Warner’s TBS.
Usmanov’s USM will become an investor in Virtus.pro, which organizes tournaments for games such as Counter Strike, Dota 2 and League of Legends, and broadcasts them online. The provider has more than 7.6 million subscribers, and its content received over 1 billion views last year, according to the billionaire’s holding company.

“E-sports are a unique proposition, uniting the sports, media and the Internet industries,” Ivan Streshinsky, a USM Holdings board member, said in the statement. “It is a fast-growing market, which has already generated huge interest around the world.”

The e-sports market is worth $612 million a year, USM said, citing SuperData Research. Amazon.com spent $970 million last year to buy Twitch.tv, a platform for live streaming video games and e-sports tournaments. Time Warner’s TBC plans to broadcast Counter Strike league next year.

Source:
[url]http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-15/billionaire-usmanov-to-invest-100m-in-russian-e-sports-firm[/url]
[/QUOTE]

That's a pretty big investment for an E-sports team.

[Balblair]

I can see it paying out. Might have been a bit more wise to invest in something outside of Russia, but hey.

[Anders118]

I initially read the title as billionare invests in virus.pro and I was profoundly confused.

[pr00ch]

don't be a looser buy a defuser

[Miya]

Reminds me of the time T-Mobile Sponsored Evil Genuises at the Dota International 4

[wickedplayer494]

[QUOTE=Wii60;48910918]Reminds me of the time T-Mobile Sponsored Evil Genuises at the Dota International 4[/QUOTE]

Off by one error...Legere must be kicking himself.

[Gotnoodles]

iirc this is a bad thing, Usmanov is a pretty dodgy person

[fog]

hes a criminal

[RudeMcRude]

If I were to invest in an esports team I'd pick Korea for skill or America for popularity

[DoktorAkcel]

[QUOTE=Dierag;48911395]iirc this is a bad thing, Usmanov is a pretty dodgy person[/QUOTE]

He bought ou Watson's Nobel medal, and gifted it back to him.
How dodgy is this?

[Deunan]

[QUOTE=RudeMcRude;48911625]If I were to invest in an esports team I'd pick Korea for skill or America for popularity[/QUOTE]

Depends on the games you're hoping to target and the games which are probably popular in Russia. Another thing to remember is the russian push for all things russian.

[Chubbs]

[QUOTE=RudeMcRude;48911625]If I were to invest in an esports team I'd pick Korea for skill or America for popularity[/QUOTE]

Not if you're investing in cs you wouldn't. Europe has the monopoly on skill and popularity in cs.

Also worth noting that VP's cs team are polish and are top 5 in the world.