GMB - You have a partnership with Ronaldo and
Igor Federal at CNB, an eSports team. How did you get into this business and
what are your expectations?
André Akkari- I got
involved for some reasons, the first one was emotional. I like playing, I am a
player, so everything that is game, that I have the ability to play, have
understanding; Playing Counter Striker, for example, I'm bad, but, I like to
play, the feeling of playing. The first reason is because I like gambling,
adrenaline. The second is by the business side. It is a good business
opportunity, to undertake, because the market is exploding and there are not so
many people doing professional things. There are few people doing very well,
but there are not so many and it opens up a window of opportunity.
What is your strategy when entering the
eSports market? Was the participation in the purchase of the team part of it?
We tried to get close to the best people on the market to make the best of
it. Our first attitude was the purchase of the CNB, which is one of the most
recognized teams in Brazil. Ronaldo and I have decided to invest and believe
that this is going to be a good deal in the future.
In addition to investing in teams such
as the CNB, do you think of investing in other fronts connected to eSports?
There are other fronts that we are working on. We set up a sports marketing
agency that is focused on eSports, for poker, for main sports. It name is EBrands,
that we created together with Beto and Raifi and is being super successful. We
already have customers like Red Bull, Samsung and it is doing very well. As an
entrepreneur by nature, I like to take risks in things that excite me and
eSports excites me.
Apart from eSports and poker, where you
are already one of the big names, do you have projects in other activities
related with games?
Apart from eSports and poker, today there is nothing that I feel like
adjusting to. eSports is already giving me the adrenaline I need for
investments. I have goals to undertake within Counter Striker, which is eSports
as well, but are just plans right now.
We know that your priority is poker, but
amidst all those activities you told us, is there one that has received a
little more attention?
My attention is focused on CNB's success in the League of Legends. We get
too excited for things to go so well there. And within the world of esoports
and within the world of póker, there are thousand projects that are happening.
