Houston Outlaws Appoint Chris DeAppolonio As Team President; Outlaws Focusing on 2020 Homestand Events

HOUSTON, Aug. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Houston Outlaws of the Overwatch League™ today announced Chris DeAppolonio as its president. An experienced leader with a strong background in both sports and esports, DeAppolonio previously held the position of executive vice president, partnerships at Infinite Esports & Entertainment, the former parent company of the Houston Outlaws and OpTic Gaming. At Infinite, DeAppolonio secured partnerships and built relationships with major endemic and non-endemic brands while working with the various teams on activation of sponsorship deliverables.

In this role, DeAppolonio will lead all business and competitive operations for the Outlaws and will work to continue the expansion of the brand to its home marketing area of Houston, Austin, and San Antonio in preparation for hosting matches in their market during the upcoming 2020 season.

"I'm thrilled to be leading one of the premier teams in the Overwatch League, especially as we look towards our 2020 home matches," said DeAppolonio. "Having previously worked on the Outlaws brand and with the players and staff, I have great relationships in place and know we have a very bright future.  The Outlaws have some of the most dedicated and passionate fans in the league; and I look forward to engaging with and growing that fan base. I am also excited to continue my work with our terrific, supportive brand partners."

DeAppolonio, a sports industry veteran, saw an esports boom coming over 10 years ago and centered his 2008 master's thesis at New York University on the subject. He spent much of his decade in the sports industry, directing marketing strategy for blue-chip corporate clients at agencies like Jack Morton Worldwide and Genesco Sports Enterprises. Prior to joining Infinite Esports & Entertainment in 2018, he was also leading esports consultation at Genesco Sports Enterprises.

About Houston Outlaws

As one of the most popular organizations in the Overwatch League, the Houston Outlaws proudly represent Houston, San Antonio, Austin, College Station, and surrounding areas. Boasting some of the most memorable personalities in the league as well as an industry-leading localized outreach program, the Houston Outlaws represent a significant milestone in the development of the future of esports.  Working with partners such as T-Mobile, H-E-B, GameStop, and Turtle Beach, the Outlaws are a premier showcase for national and local esports activation.  In 2020, the team will play host to regular-season matches in their home marketing area.

About the Overwatch League™

The Overwatch League™ is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. Overwatch® was created by globally acclaimed publisher Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard), whose iconic franchises have helped lay the foundations and push the boundaries of professional esports over the last 15 years. The latest addition to Blizzard's stable of twenty-two #1 games,^[1] Overwatch was built from the ground up for online competition, with memorable characters and fast-paced action designed for the most engaging gameplay and spectator experiences. To learn more about the Overwatch League, visit www.overwatchleague.com.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft®, Hearthstone®, Overwatch®, the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, and the multi-franchise Heroes of the Storm®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (https://www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment's track record includes twenty-two #1 games^[1] and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's online gaming service, Blizzard Battle.net®, is one of the largest online-gaming services in the world, with millions of active players.

© 2019 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, BLIZZARD, and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

[1] Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

Contact
Houston Outlaws PR
Patricia Ruiz
832.356.9609
[email protected]

SOURCE Houston Outlaws