MIAMI –Today, the Miami HEAT announced a strategic partnership with the esports franchise, Misfits, a premium organization with professional teams competing in the genre’s premier games. The partnership is unique as it calls for the HEAT to assist in all duties including marketing, branding, promotion, retail, digital and sponsorship activation on behalf of the franchise, and to cross-promote the HEAT and Misfits.

“The Miami HEAT pride ourselves on being innovative in all aspects of sports and business,” said HEAT Chief Executive Officer Nick Arison. “For us, it made perfect sense to partner with Misfits, a young and ambitious franchise in a sport that is blazing a trail in terms of 21st century recreational competition amongst Millennials.”

Misfits, formed in June 2016 by Miami-native Ben Spoont, has made an immediate impact in the multi-billion dollar world of esports. The expansion franchise won the inaugural ELeague Overwatch Open, is ranked top five in the world in the game Heroes of the Storm, competes in the highest division (Legends Championship Series) in esports’ most popular game, League of Legends, and participates in Super Smash Brothers. Misfits recently announced they have added a team to compete in Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft.

Though esports is relatively new to sports fans in America, the sector has exploded internationally over the past 10 years. Esports’ biggest event, the League of Legends Championship Final, drew 20,000 fans to watch the contest in-person in the Staples Center in Los Angeles and 43 million online viewers. The HEAT will help Misfits continue to build their brand internationally as well as help the upstart gaming group establish a footprint in America.

“Misfits is thrilled to be partnering with the HEAT organization,” said Misfits CEO and Co-Founder Ben Spoont. “This partnership will be the catalyst and foundation to our continued expansion of the Misfits organization into a global esports brand and company. The HEAT -- innovators and leaders in traditional sports -- will help Misfits to unlock meaningful value across all facets of our business.”

For more information regarding this partnership from Miami HEAT Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Michael McCullough, click here.