Esports leader ReKTGlobal welcomes the original Sway House members to the ownership team
New York and Los Angeles – December 1, 2020 – Esports powerhouse ReKTGlobal welcomes Griffin Johnson and Josh Richards, two of the world’s biggest TikTok stars, to its ownership team. As original members of the popular TikTok collab house Sway LA, Johnson and Richards amassed more than 50 million combined followers and have expanded their successful social media careers into the music and entertainment industries. The pair’s investment in ReKTGlobal marks their first in the soon-to-be $3-billion esports industry. In their new roles with ReKTGlobal, the owner and operator of both Team Rogue and Call of Duty League’s London Royal Ravens, Johnson and Richards will develop new content, merchandise collaborations and promotional activations for the teams.
“Griffin and Josh have uniquely captured the attention of Generation Z and beyond, and their influence is undeniable. They are both incredible additions to the ReKTGlobal ownership team,” said Dave Bialek, CEO of ReKTGlobal. “They have strong business instincts, a unique talent for developing viral content, and an understanding of how to connect with younger audiences and casual gamers. They are natural born hustlers and have leveraged their TikTok fame to step into acting and music, becoming entrepreneurs and investors in the process. We couldn't be more excited to welcome them to the ReKTGlobal family as we continue to bridge the gap between the world of esports, entertainment and pop culture.”
Prior to joining the ReKTGlobal family, Josh Richards co-founded TalentX Entertainment, a creator management company known for its “creator-first” mentality. Within six months, TalentX Entertainment took the influencer management industry by storm, growing a roster of the top one percent of TikTokkers. In May 2020, ReKTGlobal and TalentX Entertainment joined forces on a new joint venture, TalentX Gaming, a talent management company specifically built for gaming and esports athletes and streamers. Since then, Richards signed a recording contract with Warner Records and has focused on both investment opportunities and philanthropic efforts, including donating 20,000 masks to his hometown high school during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“Coming on as an investor to ReKTGlobal was genuinely a no-brainer,” commented Josh. “After a few meetings with the C-suite at ReKTGlobal, I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of.”
An avid gamer and Call of Duty fan, Griffin Johnson left Sway LA this summer to head up the new Sway Gaming House. Created by TalentX Gaming, SwayGaming is a hub for social media stars and creators to hone their gaming skills toward competition at the highest level. Each of the collab house’s resident members have access to gaming stations and collaborate, strategize and hang out with one another as part of the collective.
“The fact that I can now say I own a part of London Royal Ravens and Team Rogue is unbelievably surreal,” said Griffin Johnson. I am thankful to Dave and Amish for allowing me into the ReKTGlobal family with open arms. Can’t wait to get to work and help bridge the gap between traditional social media and esports.”
Founded by Amish Shah and Dave Bialek in 2017, ReKTGlobal channels its expertise in sports, media and entertainment to provide services for the esports ecosystem that include event management, agency solutions and media support. The company’s all-in-one vision extends to its recent acquisitions of full-service data driven media agency Fearless Media, marketing services company Greenlit Content, and leading fan engagement platform Fullcube.In addition to TalentX Gaming, a fast-growing talent management company specifically built for gaming and esports athletes and streamers, ReKTGlobal also owns and operates the London Royal Ravens in the Call of Duty League and is the owner of championship-winning esports club Team Rogue. The global esports organization has inked sponsorship deals with State Farm, Kia and Scuf Gaming, among others.
Josh Richards and Griffin Johnson join a diverse team of A-list ReKTGlobal investors including EDM legend Steve Aoki, international producer and DJ Nicky Romero, Grammy-winning rock band Imagine Dragons, Latin record producer and songwriter Tainy, two-time NBA defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert, pro tennis player Taylor Fritz, NFL strong safety Landon Collins, Find Your Grind CEO Nick Gross, hip-hop music executive and CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, and Vikram Singh Barn, also known as YouTube’s Vikkstar and the face of the London Royal Ravens. ReKTGlobal currently has offices in New York, L.A., Las Vegas, Charlotte, London and Berlin.
Media interested in interviews and more information may contact ReKT@maxborgesagency.com or Dawn@thepresshouse.com
###
About ReKTGlobal
ReKTGlobal, Inc. is a global esports organization that bridges the gap between traditional sports and esports, providing solutions for the entire ecosystem. We are a leading competitive gaming organization and esports marketing company. ReKTGlobal’s list of clients includes companies such as State Farm, HyperX, NortonLifeLock and Kia. ReKTGlobal also owns Team Rogue in the League of Legends European Championship (LEC) franchise system, along with Call of Duty League franchise the London Royal Ravens.
For more information about ReKTGlobal, visit www.rektglobal.com