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One of India’s biggest esports tournament organizers, Skyesports, has finally launched its own talent management agency called Sky Route.
The program aims to create a platform where regional esports athletes and content creators, who go unnoticed by brands, finally get their shot at being recognized by the Indian video game community.
The Hyderabad-based Valorant team, Velocity Gaming has been one of the biggest sign-ups to Sky Route. In a conversation with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO at Skyesports opened up about this monumental sign-up and the vision that went behind the making of Sky Route.
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Here is an excerpt of that conversation.
Q. Shiva, can you tell readers a bit about the esports and content creation scene in South India and the gap that exists between brands and the incredible talent that the region has to offer? Why do you feel that these personalities are often overlooked?
Shiva: In India, the esports scene, especially the content creation department, is often projected to be of a singular language or a maximum of “two language audience base” by many agencies.
But India is a multilingual country, and if brands need to reach a vast audience, they need to target all the markets and all creators. It’s not about just streamers; it’s about the language of the content as well.
So, with respect to that, what I want to highlight is simple. The South Indian content creation scene is a fast-growing space and creators need to be rewarded for their dedication with a platform on which they can shine.
Q. Skyesports’ latest venture Sky Route is a talent management agency that will be looking to bridge this gap between the gamers down from the south and brands who are looking to invest in the Indian esports scene. Talk to us about some of the work and vision that went behind this initiative. What are some of your expectations from it in the coming months?
Shiva: The idea behind Sky Route is quite simple. There was a space and opportunity for us to start this project, so when we approached some of the creators, they were more than happy to be a part of it.
Sky Route will help connect the bridge between brands and creators. Diversifying content can help investors find new markets and optimize their messages via vernacular content.
In the coming months, you will see a lot of “unheard-of” creators shine and grow, and we wish to help them grow and make it easier for them to create a path for themselves.
Q. The Hyderabad-based Valorant team, Velocity Gaming has been one of the first major esports organizations to partner up with Sky Route. How do you feel about this incredible milestone? What can fans look forward to from this association?
Shiva: It feels fantastic to onboard the best team in the country! When I first met Manoj ‘Sentinel’ Kasyap in Hyderabad, the idea was exchanged and it clicked really well. Manoj was happy to partner, and Velocity is the right team to start with. Our synergies and visions matched. They are flag bearers for Indian Gaming in PC esports and we are working on great things in the future.
Many brands have an eye on Velocity Gaming and we will work equally to take esports team/branding to the next level.
Q. Velocity Gaming is not the only big name to partner up with the program. Other personalities like PVS Gaming, Gaming Tamizhan, Vaadhiyar, FA2, Bolt, MRZ Goku, etc. are also going to be a part of the Sky Route family. So what would you say sets you apart from the rest of the talent management firms out there?
Shiva: I always taught myself not to put all the eggs in one basket. Hence, diversifying is the key vision here for Sky Route.
We are working with different creators from different languages because India has that option of “regional versatility” which has been overlooked till now. All the creators put together will give you millions of sub-bases, which in turn can help brands cater to the relevant audience. So what better route than this for the Sky Route project?
Q. Will Sky Route somehow tie into Skyesports Championship 3.0? Will these two ventures have a heavy impact on one another?
Shiva: It’s a win-win situation for us! There will be many things planned with the creators from Sky Route and Skyesports Championship.
Cross-branding and cross-promotion are very traditional, and although we will try many new formats in the content space, we will never leave traditional influencer marketing behind.
