Unleashed Brands Acquires Youth Esports Franchise XP League

Platform Company of Youth Enrichment Franchise Brands Adds First-to-Market Leader in Growing Category that Bridges Conventional Youth Athletics with Competitive Esports

DALLAS, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands, the fast-growing parent company of franchised brands focused on helping kids learn, play and grow, today announced the acquisition of the first-to-market youth esports franchise XP League. The brand joins others in the Unleashed portfolio, including Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, The Little Gym, Premier Martial Arts and Class 101. This is the fifth acquisition for Unleashed Brands in the past nine months. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

XP League is an esports league modeled after classic youth sports organizations. The programs incorporate themes of sportsmanship, teamwork and positive behavior centered around age-appropriate video game competitions for elementary, middle and high school students. The brand was founded in September 2020 in Raleigh, North Carolina by entrepreneur and father of four, Jay Melamed and was just named to Entreprenuer magazine's 2022 list of fastest-growing franchise brands. XP League has a custom-tailored coach and player training where anyone can become a successful coach or competitive player.

"The addition of XP League into our family of brands is exciting for us with the value of the global esports market projected to reach $2 Billion in the next year. There's so much room for growth and product innovation into the future," said Michael O. Browning Jr., Founder & CEO of Unleashed Brands. "We are excited to welcome Jay into our leadership team with his extensive background in business and franchising." 

The acquisition helps further Unleashed Brands reach into the Grow category and positively impact a new segment of children. XP League attracts a diverse range of players who vary in age and skill levels – from experienced players to casual gaming fans looking to make new friends.

"I am thrilled to have XP League join a brand group with such a strong vision and culture centered on reaching kids throughout their life stages as they play, learn, and grow. Our company shares so many common core values with Unleashed Brands, which made this integration an easy decision for us," said Melamed. "We are looking forward to our network of franchisees gaining access to benefits an independent franchisor would not have the capacity to provide. We are also looking forward to expanding our experience so that kids and their parents can see more programs in their local markets."

Unleashed Brands will function as the parent company of XP League, as it does for its other brands, Premier Martial Arts, Snapology, The Little Gym, Class 101 and Urban Air Adventure Park. Unleashed Brands is backed by a management team with more than 150 years of combined consumer industry experience, focused on serving families. It continues to grow its industry-leading platform to better serve and support families as Moms and Dads seek to "Build Great Kids."

To learn more about Unleashed Brands and current opportunities, please visit unleashedbrands.com.

About Unleashed Brands
Unleashed Brands, currently includes portfolio brands Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, The Little Gym and Premier Martial Arts and Class 101, and was founded to curate and grow a portfolio of the most innovative and profitable brands that help kids learn, play and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses focused on serving families. Its mission is to impact the lives of every kid by providing fun, engaging and inspiring experiences that help them become who they are destined to be. For more information, please visit www.UnleashedBrands.com.

About XP League 
XP League is the first-to-market youth esports league franchise that bridges the gap between conventional youth athletics and competitive esports. XP League provides an innovative program that fosters social skills and sportsmanship through a positive, certified coach-led structure. Launched in September 2020, XP League has quickly grown to become the first and largest esports franchise concept the U.S. and Canada. Please visit https://www.xpleague.com/ to learn more.

Media Contact: Sara Faiwell, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or 847-945-1300

SOURCE Unleashed Brands