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ports marketing agency, Sportfive, has launched a globally operating esports unit in order to provide partners and rights holders with access to a specialist sales force.

Sportfive plans to extend its existing esports consulting and activations capabilities with the unit, with Moritz Altmann named vice president of global esports to oversee the organisations business development, marketing, and rights holder operations.

Altmann will be supported by Thomas Ottl, who will be responsible for global operations on the rights holder side, as well as the collaboration with Riot Games, including the sponsorship sales for the League of Legends European Championship (LEC).

The move comes four years after Sportfive established a department dedicated to competitive gaming at its German arm in 2016, with Sportfive saying in a statement the expansion of that operation comes due to esports’ ‘considerable market size’ surpassing many traditional sports.

Sportfive chief growth officer, Robert Müller von Vultejus, said the appointment of Eike Gyllensvärd as vice president of global esports partnerships confirms the growth of esports.

“I am excited to see that our decision to invest into esports in 2016 was the beginning of a capability and service offering of Sportfive that now reaches the next milestone,” von Vultejus said.

“The appointment of Eike Gyllensvärd, who is one of our longstanding executives in sales and the driving force behind our strategic account management efforts in traditional sports, outlines our commitment and vision for the future of Sportfive.

“Being able to announce Eike as executive vice president global esports partnerships is one of the strongest statements we can show to the market.

“I am confident that with Eike Gyllensvärd and Moritz Altmann we appointed the perfect mix of extensive partnership sales experience and profound esports knowledge to spearhead our endeavours to further establish Sportfive as a leading agency in esports,” he said.