Luxor esports arena operator has new name, goes public
The company that operates the HyperX Esports Arena at Luxor has changed its name and become publicly traded.
Black Ridge Acquisition Corp. shareholders on Friday announced the company combined itself with WPT Enterprises Inc., changed the name of the company to Allied Esports Entertainment Inc. and became publicly traded on the Nasdaq exchange with the symbol “AESE.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the company indicated that it had received investments from the Simon Property Group shopping mall developer and TV Azteca, a sports network in Mexico.
“Today marks the beginning of a new category in gaming – esports entertainment – that brings together the best of this burgeoning industry, including fans, streamers, professionals, entertainers and brands, to create experiences and content around the world across all communities,” said Frank Ng, incoming CEO of Allied Esports Entertainment. “This growing ecosystem, anchored by our three-pillar strategy, will allow us to serve the industry as a whole as we move forward into an exciting and promising future.”
Simon and Allied Esports plan to develop esports experiences through integrated gaming venues and production facilities in Simon developments around the country. In-mall venues will be designed for tournament play and daily use.
TV Azteca will work with Allied Esports to expand in Mexico with a 24-hour digital esports channel dedicated to esports and gaming in Mexican markets.
Allied shares fell 35 cents, 7.9 percent, to $4.10 a share, and another 2.6 percent in after-hours trading to finish the day at $3.80.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.