GIANTS and EXCEL announce merger as GIANTX for LEC and VCT

British esports organization EXCEL ESPORTS and Spanish esports organization Giants Gaming have officially announced their merger, giving birth to the new entity named GIANTX. This strategic move will amalgamate the strengths, resources, and competitive esports rosters of both organizations.

One of the key aspects of this merger is the ability to leverage a diverse fan base and team to create engaging bilingual content that caters to a wider audience. This will involve targeting Spanish-speaking audiences to establish a strong foothold in the market. GIANTX will also actively participate in major esports leagues, including the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) and the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), in addition to the Spanish LVP and the Game Changers initiative.

Maintaining its roots in the UK and Spain, GIANTX will retain its current workforce of 60 employees across regional headquarters in London and Malaga, as well as a competitive performance center in Berlin. The organization plans to utilize its foundation, staff, and support from its investor group to explore new opportunities, including entry into other competitive gaming titles and expanding global partnerships. Existing partnerships for both EXCEL ESPORTS and Giants Gaming will continue post-merger, providing a broader audience and diverse opportunities.

Leading GIANTX as Co-CEOs will be Tim Reichert, CEO of EXCEL ESPORTS, and Jose Diaz, CEO and founder of Giants Gaming. The leadership team will also include Mark Carter as Chief Commercial Officer, Virginia Calvo as Chief Strategy Officer, and Oskar Sisi as Vice President of Marketing and Brand.

Tim Reichert expressed his excitement about the merger, noting, "The merger and establishment of GIANTX represents a pivotal and noteworthy chapter in the history of EXCEL ESPORTS, and we are thrilled to be joining one of Spain’s leading esports organizations, Giants Gaming. Through bringing together the two brands, each having cultivated passionate and distinct audiences, we are excited about presenting a fresh and compelling vision for the future."

Jose Diaz emphasized the global aspirations of GIANTX, saying, "Launching GIANTX represents an extraordinary opportunity. After multiple achievements and years of leadership in the industry, where Giants has become one of the major references in the Spanish-speaking market, it's time to evolve and take a new leap."

The majority stakeholder, JRJ Group, who acquired EXCEL ESPORTS in 2018, will continue to be the controlling shareholder of GIANTX, with ongoing support from existing shareholders.

Giants was an organization already competing in the European League Of Legends Championship Series. However, they weren't selected by Riot in 2018 as one of the partners to make it into the LEC. They will now return to the LEC with Excel, who themselves entered in the LEC at that time as a franchise partner.

Sources indicate to Sheep Esports that discussions for this merger started as early as February of this year. It's noteworthy that GIANTX won't be the only new brand for the LEC off-season. Karmine Corp announced earlier this year their entry into the LEC, while MAD Lions are also in discussions for a potential merger according to our sources.