Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is set to toss his hat into the esports ring with his organization, Team Pacquiao GG (TPGG). The team will consist of five well-known Filipino streamers and will be accompanied by the famous Filipino boxer’s branding.
Pacquiao said esports is a rapidly growing sporting industry that is generating employment and business opportunities around the world during the formal launch of TPGG at the City of Dreams in Parañaque. He added that the Philippines must harness its own talents to become a major force in international electronic gaming.
“Today, we are launching Team Pacquiao to sow the seed of Filipino excellence in international esports competitions. Our purpose is to become the pound for pound esports heavyweights of Southeast Asia through community engagements, professional teams, content creation, and charitable giving,” Pacquiao said during the event.
During the event, he revealed that he would be partnering with five well-known streamers to form his team. These include pioneering Filipino YouTuber GLOCO, TV model and chef “Kimbee,” entrepreneur and model “Een,” as well as well-known esports commentator “Shin Boo” and online gamer and philanthropist “Wrecker,” the latter known for having raised P15 million for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
“We have brought together a team of five incredibly talented Filipino men and women as founding members of Team Pacquiao, who have accomplished so much in their gaming and streaming careers and also share my vision to create opportunities for those without them,” Pacquiao added in his speech.
Pacquaio also confirmed that he was partnering with the Veloce Group to build TPGG.
The eight-division champion is no stranger to esports. He’s previously competed in a number of tournaments and even served as an endorser for the wildly popular MOBA Mobile Legends: Bang Bang where even has his own iconic skin as well as a character based on him.
Esports, according to Pacquiao, has grown into a multibillion-dollar global industry that includes not just game developers but also content producers, esports athletes and even team owners. Leading esports players become endorsers for numerous high-paying marketing initiatives, while international e-game championships offer multi-million dollar awards. (Read: Buko Ventures invests in esports education platform AcadArena)
“Most Filipinos identify video gaming as a hobby and possible addiction for younger people that must be supervised,” Pacquaio said. “But not anymore. Esports is not just an online phenomenon but a legitimate, growing sporting industry around the world with a lot of job and business opportunities.”
“Esports is the future and I’m really happy to be part of this quest to create world-class content creators, Filipino gamers and develop them into professional athletes,” he added.
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