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ReKTGlobal VP of Esports Kevin Knocke Named Host of Universal Open Rocket League on NBC Sports

by rawmeatcowboy
05 August 2017
GN Version 5.0

NEW YORK – August 4, 2017 – NBC Sports Group named gaming industry veteran Kevin Knocke as host of the Universal Open Rocket League, NBC Sports Group’s inaugural esports tournament. Knocke is the VP of Esports at ReKTGlobal, a fast-growing esports infrastructure services company, and has been a host, caster, and producer in the esports community since 2010.

The 2v2 Rocket League tournament action will begin airing on NBC Sports Regional Networks this weekend for the tournament’s regional finals. The East Regional will take place Saturday, Aug. 5, at TCN studios in Philadelphia, followed by the Northeast Regional at SNY studios in New York City on Sunday, August 6. Players will compete for a $100,000 prize pool in the Grand Finals. In total, more than 40 hours of event coverage will be presented across live-streaming, video-on-demand, and linear platforms.

"I'm thrilled to be part of NBC Sports' first efforts into esports. Rocket League is an incredibly exciting game that's very easy to understand and spectate, even for first-time esports viewers, but is extremely complex to master. It's awesome to see NBC picking up the trend of media organizations making their matches available to fans for free through livestreaming alongside their TV presentations."

Knocke has worn nearly every hat in the esports industry, having been a play by play commentator, marketing and talent manager, video producer and host for some of the biggest esports companies and events in the scene. He has led content and hosted events for partners like Blizzard Entertainment, IGN, SiriusXM, Sony, South by Southwest, E3, PAX and Ubisoft, among others.

Now, as VP of Esports at ReKTGlobal, Knocke helps bridge the gap between the multi-billion-dollar business of traditional sports and the burgeoning business of esports and competitive gaming. The company connects professional sports and entertainment businesses – from teams and venues to brands and media companies – with esports leaders, aiming to bring the esports industry to its full potential.

“With almost 20 years of experience across esports, Kevin brings insider knowledge, incredible expertise and charisma to everything he does. I loved his show on SiriusXM and can’t wait to watch him on Rocket League,” said Amish Shah, founder of ReKTGlobal. “He was basically born attached to a mouse and keyboard, and his passion for esports and gaming is contagious.”

Universal Open Rocket League is a 2v2 tournament featuring Rocket League, the sports-action hit with a community of more than 34 million players. Developed and published by San Diego-based game studio Psyonix, Rocket League is the winner or nominee of more than 150 “Game of the Year” awards and has a community of more than 32 million players. The game is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem with easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Followign the regionals in Philadelphia and at SNY studios in New York City, the Universal Open will culminate in the Grand Finals on Aug. 26-27 at Esports Arena in Santa Ana, California, with 16 teams competing for a $100,000 prize pool.

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