Heads up, athletes and gamers. Team Diverge is here!
The athlete-led gaming organization features content by both creators and athletes alike. In short, it is designed to become a “platform for others.” The group is to be led by NFL Star Juju Smith-Schuster himself.
Gaming-focused
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver isn’t the first professional athlete to invest in the gaming industry. However, it seems like he’s planning to do something different than others.
The eSports fanatic will spearhead Team Diverge, an athlete-led gaming entertainment and lifestyle company. The announcement has been confirmed in an official tweet:
“Introducing Team Diverge, the World’s First Athlete-Led Gaming Entertainment & Lifestyle Company. We are led by one of our founding partners, TD JuJu!”
The org ants to serve as a hub for crossover content across sports, gaming and culture, with popular streamers, athletes and celebrities, including its very own streetwear apparel line.
Though other athletes have joined organizations as ambassadors or stock investors, Smith-Schuster wanted to take a “different path” as he delves right into the gaming scene.
“In creating my own organization instead of joining one of the big established ones, I know I chose a different path than most in my position would do,”
“I’m not just trying to be a popular figure in gaming for myself. I’m trying to build a special organization that is a platform for others.”
Meanwhile, organization co-founder and CEO Karan Gill says:
“(Team Diverge) is going to take athlete involvement in gaming to a completely different level,”
“We want those other NFL guys and Juju to be the headliners of this org who are known for more than just gaming. We want guys who are as passionate about gaming as they are their own personal endeavors.”
A great opportunity
Of course, the organization won’t be limited to athletes or gamers alone. Musicians, influencers, and celebrities also will be tapped by the org to drive broader content.
To keep up with the competitive eSports scene, Team Diverge also plans to establish its own gaming house shortly after the current NFL season is finished.
This is not the first time for Smith-Schuster to get involved in Gaming.
In fact, he’s previously been an honorary member of FaZe Clan, creating content and merchandise while living in the team’s contest house in Los Angeles for a short while.
He notably took part in Twitch star Ninja’s record-breaking stream back in 2018, where he was seen along with rappers Drake and Travis Scott. Over 600,000 viewers tuned in for the iconic livestream.
The NFL star has also collaborated in the creation of gaming headsets, keyboards and hard drives with HyperX. Earlier this year, he even launched his own gear— the limited Cloud MIX headset, Juju edition.
TD has already signed six content creators to serve as the core members of the team.
Several athletes involved in the organization will be further announced at a later date.
Furthermore, the group is open for collaborations with other notable pro players, content creators, athletes, musicians, and celebrities.
According to Gill, Smith-Schuster wants to “give a platform to people who just need an opportunity to be seen.”
Streaming is considered by the org as “one of the biggest turning points in gaming” because it has the power to touch anybody who’s tuning in.
Gill further explains:
“It made everyone feel like they’re similar to Drake because they play Fortnite like Drake does,”
“That’s something that we want to replicate here with TD, give a lot of these athletes who don’t have that platform to game or be known as gamers, to start working with TD to express that passion they have and to grow authentically in the space.”
