Philadelphia 76ers acquire eSports teams Dignitas, Apex

The pro basketball organization known as the Philadelphia 76ers has acquired and merged eSports teams Dignitas and Apex, and will manage the new entity as Team Dignitas on a day-to-day basis going forward. The organization says it will provide to the team sponsorship, sales, branding, digital marketing, merchandising, player recruitment, and publicity services, as well as development and wellness practices.

The acquisition makes the 76ers the first North American pro sports team to acquire an eSports team, although it isn't the only association between the two worlds: to name one example, pro/former pro athletes Shaquille O'Neal, Alex Rodriquez (aka A-Rod), and Jimmy Rollins have a stake in Team NRG.

Dignitas and Apex are known for League of Legends, Counter Strike: GO, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, and Smite.