Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster recently announced the creation of his new gaming organization, Team Diverge.
While his daily life is centered around being a professional athlete, Smith-Schuster also makes plenty of time for video games.
Smith-Schuster is known for his Twitch streams, where he plays games like Fortnite and Call of Duty with fellow celebrities.
He has previously worked as a content creator for Faze Clan, another esports organization.
“Through gaming, I’ve seen how so many people of different backgrounds can find common ground together,” Smith-Schuster said.
The wide receiver also has a large social media presence on apps like Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. He is arguably just as famous off the football field as he is on.
His involvement in gaming and social media pushed him towards the development of Team Diverge.
“The name Team Diverge means a lot to me,” Smith-Schuster said. “We’re aiming to move in a different direction of ordinary gaming organizations, we’re trying to be unique in how we operate. The initials also are ‘TD’, a sign of the football side of me.”
Steelers teammate Bud Dupree asked Smith-Schuster about the gaming organization on his new YouTube series “Bud Brought a Buddy.”
“The word diverge means some diversity, you know, no matter where you come from or who you are, musician, student, actor, athlete,” Smith-Schuster said. “We come together and gaming just connects us as a world.”
According to Esports Insider, the organization’s goal is to “become a hub for crossover content across sports, gaming and culture, featuring popular streamers, athletes and celebrities.”
While some other athletes have joined gaming organizations as investors or ambassadors, Smith-Schuster wanted to stand out by creating his own.
“In creating my own organization instead of joining one of the big established ones, I know I chose a different path than most in my position would do,” Smith-Schuster said. “I’m not just trying to be a popular figure in gaming for myself; I’m trying to build a special organization that is a platform for others.”
The organization is the first athlete-led gaming entertainment and lifestyle company.
Soon, the organization will start up a gaming house that will be the center of content production. It is set to open in the spring of 2021.
Team Diverge is also planning to launch its own streetwear apparel line in the near future. The clothing line will build off of Smith-Schuster’s well-known ‘Team JuJu’ company.
Smith-Schuster is working with co-founder Karan Gill to create Team Diverge. Gill is also the founder and CEO of Visionary Sports.
Smith-Schuster is working with Gill to get more athletes involved with Team Diverge. The organization has signed six content creators for some of the more popular video games.
According to Dot Esports, several other athletes have agreed to work with Team Diverge and will be announced soon.
“TD is going to take athlete involvement in gaming to a completely different level,” Team Diverge co-founder Karan Gill said. “These guys won’t just be ambassadors or honorary members, they are going to be centerpieces to the team’s identity.”
Featured Image Courtesy of Hotspawn.
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