Players Ntwrk to debut with coronavirus charity livestream
Players Ntwrk, a new gaming entertainment network, has announced its official launch in Los Angeles, California. Programming will begin with a COVID-19 relief livestream on the network’s Twitch channel on Tuesday, April 14.
Players Ntwrk was founded by Stratton Sclavos, an entrepreneur and former CEO of both the San Jose Sharks and VeriSign. His goal was to bring together celebrities from across a wide array of media to create original gaming-centered content. This will not only include famous gamers, but also athletes, actors, and musicians.
“Entertainment spectacle is trumping hardcore gaming competition,” Sclavos said. “That kind of engagement makes it clear; gaming entertainment is the next pop culture phenomena.”
The starting talent roster for Players Ntwrk is known as the First Squad. The network encourages collaboration among its content creators, who will exercise great control over the kinds of content they produce. Here are the members of the First Squad who will begin streaming this week:
- Professional athletes: De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings), Josh Hart (New Orleans Pelicans), Jarvis Landry (Cleveland Browns), and Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints).
- Music and Entertainment: PARTYNEXTDOOR, Murda Beatz, producer Boi-1da, and actor/former athlete Donovan Carter (Ballers).
- Creators/Streamers: KatGunn, Sodapoppin, Cash, Jesser, Jericho, Octane, Sigils, Sonii, and DenkOps.
More about Players Ntwrk
Though it is only now coming into fruition, Sclavos first created Players Ntwrk back in late 2018. Other contributors include Ben Curtis of Daylight Holdings, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, and the WME talent agency. The network’s original programming will include unscripted series and a steady flow of livestreamed celebrity gameplay.
The network’s creators note the crossover potential of an entertainment organization with such a diverse range of celebrity contributors. According to a press release, “fans will be able to interact, play against and discover other fans from overlapping fandoms they didn’t know existed.”
Fans can get their first glimpse of the Players Ntwrk when its charity livestream begins on April 14. This stream will include a rotating roster of the First Squad’s members, and audience donations will go to coronavirus-related organizations. The network will announce its full programming schedule at a later date.
