WASHINGTON — Mark Ein, a D.C.-area investor whose businesses include Washington City Paper, Kastle Systems and the Washington Kastles tennis team, is adding esports to his portfolio.
Ein has formed Washington Esports Ventures and has purchased a D.C.-based esports team in the popular Overwatch League.
It makes Ein the owner of D.C.’s first esports team in the Overwatch League, which has teams in cities around the world, including Shanghai, Seoul, London, New York and Los Angeles.
The team’s local territory covers all of Maryland, Virginia and the District.
Blizzard Entertainment, a division of Activision Blizzard and the creator of World of Warcraft, created the Overwatch League.
“We believe the Overwatch League, with the backing of Activision Blizzard and its city-based, global model, is the most important platform within esports, and we are thrilled to bring it to our D.C. community,” Ein said in a statement.
Ein has a long history of investments in the Washington area and elsewhere, and is founder of Capitol Investment Corp and Venturehouse Group LLC. Over the past 25 years, Ein has founded or been an early investor in six companies that reached $1 billion valuations.
Washington Esports Ventures also includes partners Artist Capital Management and Ein business partner Dyson Dryden.
The Overwatch League has more than 40 million user accounts globally, according to Washington Esports Ventures.
