WISE Twin Cities to host panel on esports at Version1 HQ on March 15.
Register for the event here.
Eagan, Minnesota – February 16, 2022 – Today, Version1 is announcing a multi-year partnership with the Twin Cities chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE TC). Version1 is a professional esports organization founded in 2019 by the Wilf family and entrepreneur and investor Gary Vaynerchuk.
To kick off the partnership, Version1 will present the 2022 WISE Power Play panel event at its Eagan headquarters on March 15. Event attendees will learn the basics of esports and what it’s like to work in the fast-emerging industry. The event is free for members and $20 for non-members. More information, including event registration, can be found here.
“At WISE Twin Cities, our mission is to be the leading resource for women in the sports and events industry in Minneapolis-St. Paul. We are thrilled to partner with Version1 to share their incredible accomplishments in esports with our community, and especially to highlight their support of women in gaming,” says Anne Doepner, president and founder of WISE TC.
Partnering with WISE TC is an example of Version1’s commitment to growing its footprint locally. “This is an opportunity to continue introducing our organization to important leaders in sports, events and entertainment in the Twin Cities,” says Brett Diamond, chief operating officer and Version1 and WISE TC Advisory Board member. “Through this partnership, we’re excited to highlight the unique opportunities our industry presents when it comes to fan and community engagement. Personally, I’m honored to be a part of the WISE Twin Cities Advisory Board and thrilled that our organization will be actively involved. We look forward to working alongside their incredible leadership team.”
Brett Diamond recently joined the WISE TC Advisory Board. In this role, Brett and fellow Advisory Board members guide and counsel the local chapter, as it deepens its influence locally. Jenna Johnson, Version1’s director of partnerships and activations also joined the Board of Directors’ Events Committee as the Industry Events Chair in December. In collaboration with the events committee, Jenna will lead industry relevant events, workshops and networking opportunities for the WISE TC community.
As WISE TC plans its programming for 2022 and beyond, Version1 will bring forward additional opportunities for its members to immerse themselves in esports.
“There’s incredible depth of expertise in sports and events in the Twin Cities, and much of the work being done to elevate Minnesota as a destination for major events is led by women” said Cassie Batinich, director of communications at Version1. “As Version1 joins the WISE community, we look forward to engaging with these leaders and applying key learnings as we grow the profile of esports in Minnesota and the Midwest.”
Version1 has invested significantly in women’s esports.
In 2021, it founded V1SIONARIES, a platform for women gamers. V1SIONARIES aims to level-up offerings for top women competitors who have historically been overlooked by the gaming industry. For example, in January, V1SIONARIES hosted a Call of Duty: Warzone tournament that offered one of the largest prize pools in women-only tournaments to date at $50,000 and an additional $5,000 awarded to the tournament MVP.
Last September, Version1 signed VersionX, a five-person, all-women’s VALORANT roster to compete in the VCT Game Changers competitive circuit. VersionX is the organization’s fourth professional roster. Additionally, Version1 signed three professional content creators and Twitch streamers. Autumn Rhodes, a variety creator and influencer; Smixie, a Warzone competitor whose tournament earnings put her in the top 10 of all women in the game; and Krissy, a Rocket League creator and influencer all joined the org last year.
Version1 is growing. In addition to operating four teams, it regularly hosts hospitality and fan events with plans to put on large scale, in person gaming tournaments and competition locally in the future.
Since 2019, the organization has hired nearly 30 full-time staff members with expertise in various disciplines, including events and operations, marketing, visual design, production, partnerships, communications, social media and more. Version1 is currently hiring to fill a number of full and part-time positions. Information on career opportunities can be found at version1.gg/careers.
About Version1
Version1 is a multi-property esports organization headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota. We are proudly owned by Minnesota Vikings owners, the Wilf family, and entrepreneur and investor Gary Vaynerchuk. Our professional teams include Minnesota Røkkr in the Call of Duty League, Version1 in Rocket League, and Version1 and VersionX in VALORANT. As we grow, we’re adding new entertainment avenues, including streamers and content creators.
In 2021, Version1 founded V1SIONARIES, a platform providing women a safe place to compete, game, network, and socialize. In partnership with USAA Insurance, it created Røkkr Regiment to connect with military members who share a passion for Call of Duty and provide access to exclusive opportunities and experiences.
Learn more about our organization by following us as @version1gg and @ROKKR or @rokkr_mn on all social media channels.