Major League Gaming has a new owner and mission

Major League Gaming, the popular esports broadcasting and promotions company, has been purchased by Activision Blizzard. Over the weekend reports surfaced that MLG’s board of directors approved an agreement granting Activision Blizzard the majority of MLG’s assets in exchange for $46 million, but official confirmation wasn’t given until later. According to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, the company will continue to operate the MLG.tv, MLG Pro Circuit, and GameBattles platforms with an eye towards creating “the ESPN of esports.”

Mike Sepso, the Senior Vice President of Activision Blizzard Media Networks, was a co-founder of Major League Gaming and came to Activision when the company hired Steve Bornstein, the former CEO of ESPN and the NFL Network in October of last year. Both executives were given the goal of growing the esports business for the publisher.