Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster has announced Team Diverge, the world’s first “athlete-led gaming entertainment and lifestyle company.” Smith-Schuster will serve as CEO for Team Diverge, which will focus on content creation and esports competition in various titles.
The organization already has content creators in several titles. (Photo courtesy Team Diverge)
Smith-Schuster is no stranger to gaming. He was present during Ninja’s record-breaking Fortnite stream, where he played alongside Drake and Travis Scott. Smith-Schuster has collaborated with FaZe Clan in the past and briefly lived in the FaZe Clan house in 2018. HyperX also collaborated with Smith-Schuster on a limited-edition headset with all the proceeds going to the JuJu Foundation. Team Diverge will allow Smith-Schuster to continue to bridge the gap between gaming and sports.
Team Diverge has already signed six content creators for games such as Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, and Fall Guys. According to Dot Esports, several other athletes are already involved in Team Diverge and will be announced at a later date. Team Diverge co-founder and COO Karan Gill also explained that the athletes will be the “headliners” of the organization as opposed to other organizations that focus on gamers.
A Team Diverge rep also told the Esports Observer that there are plans of launching a “Team Diverge Gaming House” in the spring of 2021. This location will serve as the hub for the talent and content creators and provide a space for the organization to create its own “streetwear-inspired apparel.”
The org does not currently have plans to enter any established esports leagues but intends to create a team that can compete in various tournaments. Fans will also likely see content creation on YouTube and Twitch.
It is unclear which other athletes are involved, but fans can expect an announcement soon.
