XP League Fosters Sportsmanship, Teamwork While Coaching Kids
Unleashed Brands, a portfolio of companies that help kids learn, play and grow, has acquired XP League, an esports franchise. XP League addresses the void between traditional youth athletics and competitive esports. (For the uninitiated, esports are multiplayer video game competitions that are played with spectators.)
XP League, an esports league that’s structured like classic youth sports organizations, promotes development of sportsmanship, teamwork and other positive behaviors related to competition. Offering video game competitions for elementary, middle and high school students, XP League provides individualized training for coaches and players. XP League appeals to a wide range of participants with varied skill levels, from veteran players to casual gamers.
Benefits to Franchisees, Shared Values
Jay Melamed, who is a father of four, founded XP League in September 2020 in Raleigh, N.C. The brand recently was ranked among Entrepreneur magazine’s 2022 list of fastest-growing franchises.
In a news release, Melamed stated that XP League’s acquisition by Unleashed Brands will benefit franchisees. “We are looking forward to our network of franchisees gaining access to the benefits an independent franchisor would not have the capacity to provide. We are also looking forward to expanding our experience so that kids and their parents can see more programs in their local markets.”
He added that he is “thrilled to have XP League join a brand group with such a strong vision and culture centered on reaching kids throughout their life stages. Our company shares many common core values with Unleashed Brands, which made this integration an easy decision for us.”
The Growing Esports Market
Unleashed Brands founder and CEO Michael O. Browning Jr. says the acquisition of XP League “is exciting for us with the value of the global esports market projected to reach $2 billion in the next year. There‘s so much room for growth and product innovation. We are excited to welcome Jay into our leadership team with his extensive background in business and franchising.”
Unleashed Brands was established as a parent company made up of brands designed to help parents build great kids. XP League is Unleashed Brands’ fifth acquisition in less than a year. Other Unleashed Brands are Class 101, The Little Gym, Premier Martial Arts, Snapology and Urban Air Adventure Park.
The umbrella franchisor has plans for scaling its brands to support more families and assist more children in meeting their full potential. Unleashed Brands will support XP League’s continuing mission to deploy its certified coaches to nurture social skills and sportsmanship in a positive environment.