Norton Rose Fulbright advises Aquilini GameCo Inc. on landmark eSports and gaming merger
Global | Press release - Business | October 2019
Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright advised Aquilini GameCo Inc. on the acquisition of Luminosity Gaming Inc. and Luminosity Gaming (USA), LLC, the subsequent amalgamation with J55 Capital Corp. and the arrangement with Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. The merged entity, Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc., also acquired a non-controlling interest in the Vancouver Titans professional Overwatch esports team.
The transaction, the first of its kind in the area of eSports, involved a cross-border team of lawyers from Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Dallas and New York.
Headquartered in Toronto, Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. is a media and technology company specialized in video game advertising, content and media and events. As a result of the transaction, Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. is now the leading publicly-traded eSports and gaming media organization in North America and one of the largest vertically integrated video game and eSports companies in the world.
The combination of Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.’s extensive media network and gamer data with Luminosity Gaming’s championship calibre teams and brand equity is expected to reach a global audience of approximately 200 million people. The merged assets include eight eSports teams, more than 50 eSports influencers, over 100 gaming media websites, and in excess of 900 YouTube and Twitch channels.
Walied Soliman, who led Norton Rose Fulbright’s deal team, commented:
“Our North American legal team is proud to assist Aquilini GameCo Inc. on this landmark eSports and gaming transaction, positioning Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. as a leading force in the global gaming industry.”
Along with Soliman, the team included Nader Hasan, Cynthia Sargeant, Jenny Ng, Kathy Snow (Corporate, M&A and Securities, Toronto), Carole Gilbert (Corporate, M&A and Securities, Montreal), Dion Legge, Brian Milne (Tax, Calgary), Christopher Horte (Banking and finance, Vancouver), Todd Schroeder (Tax, Dallas) and Manny Rivera (Corporate, M&A and Securities, New York).