Benzinga | Dec 16, 2021 07:12AM EST

LiveOne, Super League Announced Partnership on Multi-Year, Multi-Event Deal to Develop and Offer Exclusive Live Music, Festivals, Lifestyle, and Pay-Per-View Pop Culture Events in the Metaverse

LiveXLive, a wholly-owned subsidiary of LiveOne (NASDAQ:LVO), a global platform for livestream and on-demand audio, video and podcast/vodcast content in music, comedy and pop culture, and Super League Gaming (NASDAQ:SLGG), a global leader in video game experiences and entertainment at the intersection of the creator economy, gameplay content, and the metaverse, announced today that they have formed a strategic partnership to create experiences within the metaverse tied to LiveOne's music, lifestyle and pay-per-views ("PPV") events. Together, the companies plan to offer fans and gamers alike opportunities to enjoy immersive 3D environments featuring exclusive content, unique virtual goods, NFTs, and gamified activities that drive increased affinity and socially-connected engagement.

Starting today, the two companies will work together to identify specific music and gaming events that can be activated in virtual spaces within some of the world's largest metaverse platforms, including Roblox and Minecraft. Audiences of all ages will have the opportunity to experience music performances from some of their favorite artists while also exploring a dynamic, visually exciting world full of surprises inspired by the themes of each individual event. Within the LiveOne virtual metaplex will be multiple stages, special kiosks for purchasing merchandise, VIP rooms for avatar-based meet-and-greets, interactive competitions offering fun prizes, and more.

"We have led the way in virtual streaming and digital PPV over the last few years, and we see the Metaverse as the next logical frontier for great music and entertainment experiences," said Dermot McCormack, President of LiveOne. "Super League's deep understanding of the complete metaverse user experience made them an ideal partner to bring this strategy to life for fans and advertisers alike."

"The social web is in the process of being replaced by the user-generated web, full stop. LiveOne recognizes the importance of expanding the reach of their premium content events into these important digital environments," said Matt Edelman, Chief Commercial Officer of Super League Gaming. "We are thrilled to be applying all that we've learned through live and online gaming events, live streaming broadcasts, and on-demand content production and distribution to the creation of an enduring LiveOne metaverse destination."

The partnership between LiveOne and Super League will feature multiple tentpole events and franchises in 2022, including a multi-platform experience for the 10th Anniversary of the Spring Awakening Music Festival, Music Lives, Breakout Awards, LiveOne Presents, Ballerfest, LiveZone and more.

Following active collaboration between the two companies, Super League will be responsible for the creation and management of the LiveOne metaverse environment(s), inclusive of user testing, ongoing user support, and regular updates that keep fans and players alert and engaged. Super League also will assist LiveOne with promotional planning and execution, notably through Super League's owned and operated metaverse advertising network, Bloxbiz. Acquired in October 2021, Super League's Bloxbiz is a leading advertising platform designed specifically for metaverse environments, with reach that already exceeds more than 65 million monthly active users across more than 150 Roblox game titles. With recent estimates from RTrack that peg Roblox MAUs at 206 million as of June 2021, Super League's impressive reach represents approximately 30% of all Roblox players worldwide.