Maurice Eisenmann, Heather Garozzo named VP of Business Development and VP of Marketing

TEAM DIGNITAS NAMES FORMER WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION CS:GO PLAYER, HEATHER GAROZZO VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING

AND RENOWNED ESPORTS INDUSTRY CONSULTANT MAURICE EISENMANN VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

15-YEAR OLD ESPORTS FRANCHISE BOLSTERS FRONT OFFICE PRIOR TO HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BRAND REBOOT

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Oct. 26, 2018: Team Dignitas, the renowned esports franchise of the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment portfolio, today announced that former Women’s World Champion Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) player Heather Garozzo and notable esports executive Maurice Eisenmann have been named to the roles of Vice President of Marketing and Vice President of Business Development, respectively.  Garozzo, a former ESL and ELEAGUE In-Game Director, had previously served as Team Dignitas’ Director of Fan Engagement, where her efforts resulted in a 90% increase in the team’s livestream viewership and 20% plus increase in social media engagement. Eisenmann, an established esports consultant has guided gaming projects for Fortune 500 brands, game publishers, media platforms and VC firms; including initiatives for the NBA, Bayern Munich and Prodigy Sports.  In his newly created position, Eisenmann will evaluate and accelerate the growth of the Team Dignitas franchise and associated verticals through dynamic corporate partnerships.

“Heather Garozzo defines Dignitas. She is a clever marketer, tireless operator, World Champion Counterstrike player and most importantly a kind-hearted, vivacious leader with the vision to drive first-class engagement across all platforms. As Vice President of Marketing, Heather gives us a distinct edge over the competition in the ever-evolving esports media space,” said Team Dignitas CEO Michael Prindiville. “I accepted the role as Team Dignitas CEO in May, determined to bring Maurice Eisenmann on board to help shape and operate new business throughout the org. His experience and industry savvy makes him the ideal executive to execute on partnerships and future verticals that will define the new era of Dignitas.”

As an In-Game Director for ESL AND ELEAGUE, Garozzo billed on the broadcast line-up for some of the game's most prestigious events, including the CS:GO Majors at ESL One Cologne, MLG Columbus, PGL Krakow and ELEAGUE Boston.  A seasoned industry executive, Garozzo has worked alongside some of gaming’s most recognized tournament organizers including ESL, ESEA, ELEAGUE, MLG, Beyond the Summit, PGL, BLAST Pro Series and more. During her career as a professional CS:GO player, Garozzo competed in over 200 tournaments; notably winning the ESWC Women's World Cup in 2012 with team Ubinited.  She played under the  Team Karma banner prior to acting as the squad’s Team Manager during their transition to and successful first season with Team Dignitas in May 2017.  As Vice President of Marketing, Garozzo’s will create and execute Team Dignitas’ fan marketing and community engagement strategies, develop team and player brands and establish authentic sponsor activations with influencers and streamers.

In addition to his accomplished career as an esports industry consultant, Eisenmann was most recently the Director of Community and Culture for WHAM Network, a 24/7 digital channel dedicated to gaming; wherein he managed the platform’s activities and interactions with esports players, game developers, fans and corporate partners. Eisenmann began his career in the music industry as Founder and CEO of production company Young Jedi Management from 2009 to 2014, prior to amassing an impressive client list of Fortune 500 companies, agencies and traditional sports teams and leagues.

 

ABOUT TEAM DIGNITAS:

Team Dignitas is an international esports team with one of the most iconic and recognizable brands in the professional gaming industry that fields teams in seven of esports' largest and most popular games: Heroes of the Storm, PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Rocket League, SMITE, Clash Royale and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Team Dignitas' innovative and authentic brand position offers a premier opportunity for partners seeking a direct portal into the gaming and esports market. Team Dignitas was originally formed in September 2003 with the merger of two Battlefield 1942 teams. In September 2016, Team Dignitas was acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association. Team Dignitas is a part of the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment family of innovative and competitive holdings owned by an investor group led by Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, which also includes the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League, and the Prudential Center, a 19,500 seat, state-of-the-art, multi-purpose arena in Newark, N.J.

 

ABOUT HARRIS BLITZER SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT (HBSE):

Founded by Josh Harris and David Blitzer, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) includes in its portfolio the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Devils, leading venue Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., the GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center, the Delaware Blue Coats, the Binghamton Devils, the Sixers Innovation Lab Crafted by Kimball, renowned esports franchise Team Dignitas and NBA 2K League Team, 76ers Gaming Club (GC). Led by some of the best and brightest minds across a diverse spectrum of industries, HBSE positions itself as one of the most pioneering, innovative sports and entertainment businesses in the world. HBSE also strives to positively impact the local communities in which it operates through the powerful platform of sports. For more information, visit www.hbse.com.