eSports
Allied Esports Entertainment Announces Preliminary Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results
Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc., a global esports entertainment company, announced preliminary unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2020, as well as an update on several key business initiatives. This release refers to “continuing” and “discontinued” operations due to the pending sale of the Company’s subsidiaries operating our poker-related business and assets comprising the World Poker Tour® (“World Poker Tour,” or “WPT®”), which is currently in active negotiations to be sold in a transaction that is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021. Therefore, unless otherwise noted, results presented in this release relate to the continuing operations of the Company and Allied Esports, and excludes the World Poker Tour.
The Company filed a Form 12b-25 to extend the due date for filing its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 until April 15, 2021. Reflected herein are selected preliminary unaudited financial results. These financial results are subject to adjustments based upon, among other things, the completion of the audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2020 and for the year then ended.
Commenting on the preliminary fourth quarter and full year 2020 results, the Company’s CEO, Frank Ng, said, “Despite the unprecedented operating challenges and macro-economic uncertainty encountered throughout most of 2020 resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Allied Esports finished the year with a solid performance in the fourth quarter. The In-person pillar of our business model remains the primary near-term growth driver of our Esports business, and this activity was significantly curtailed globally during the pandemic due to operational restrictions, including limitations on social gatherings and other health and safety protocols. However, we made good progress throughout the year conceptualizing and building-out the Multiplatform Content pillar of our business. I believe the work and progress we made will serve us well in the quarters and years ahead.”
Mr. Ng continued, “Total revenues for the fourth quarter of $0.9 million declined from $2.0 million in the fourth quarter last year. During the fourth quarter, Esports generated its first meaningful revenue from Multiplatform Content, which totaled $0.2 million and comprised nearly one-quarter of our fourth quarter Esports revenue. At the bottom line, our adjusted EBITDA loss of $3.5 million for the fourth quarter improved over 3% from an adjusted EBITDA loss of $3.7 million a year ago. I am also pleased with our ability to reduce operating expenses to better align our cost structure with the lower revenues generated during the year. Additionally, we made tremendous progress in 2020 improving our capital structure, as evidenced by a 71% reduction in total bridge and convertible debt during the year and significantly enhanced financial flexibility.”
Mr. Ng concluded, “As we look ahead in 2021, our expectation is that global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines will bring the return of a normalized world—and with it—the recovery of in-person events. We are optimistic that we will soon be operating in an environment where the Company’s foundational strides made on the Multiplatform Content pillar of our business in 2020 will come together alongside the resurgence of live events and the return of maximum capacity at our various Esports venues.”
Fourth Quarter 2020 Financial Results
Revenues: Total revenues of $0.9 million decreased 52% in the fourth quarter of 2020 versus the fourth quarter one year prior. This was due to decreased In-person revenue, partially offset by revenue growth in Multiplatform Content.
Costs and expenses: Total costs and expenses for the fourth quarter of 2020 were $16.6 million, an increase of 135% compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. Costs and expenses increased due to increases in impairment of investments and property and equipment expenses that were not incurred in the prior year period. The increase was partially offset by lower expenses in In-person, selling and marketing, and online operating areas of the business.
Loss from continuing operations for the quarter was $19.7 million, compared to a loss of $5.8 million in the prior year period. Loss from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of 2020 included a non-cash extinguishment loss on acceleration of debt redemption of $1.7 million that was not incurred in the prior year period as well as a $1.8 million increase in interest expense compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.
Adjusted EBITDA loss was $3.5 million for the 2020 fourth quarter, as compared to $3.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. A reconciliation of the GAAP-basis net loss to adjusted EBITDA is provided in the table at the end of this press release.
Full Year 2020 Financial Results
Revenues: Total revenues of $3.2 million decreased 57% in the full year of 2020 versus 2019. This was primarily due to decreased In-person revenue, partially offset by revenue growth in Multiplatform Content.
Costs and expenses: Total costs and expenses for the full year of 2020 were $35.7 million, an increase of 63% compared to 2019. Costs and expenses rose primarily due to increases in impairment of investments and property and equipment, stock-based compensation expense and G&A expenses. The increase was partially offset by a decrease in In-person, Multiplatform content, and selling and marketing expenses.
Loss from continuing operations for the 2020 year was $46.5 million, compared to a loss of $15.5 million in 2019. Loss from continuing operations for the full year of 2020 included a non-cash conversion inducement expense of $5.2 million and a non-cash extinguishment loss on acceleration of debt redemption of $3.4 million that were not incurred in the prior year along with a $4.5 million increase in interest expense compared to 2019.
Adjusted EBITDA loss was $11.6 million for the 2020 year, as compared to $9.6 million in 2019. A reconciliation of the GAAP-basis net loss to adjusted EBITDA is provided in the table at the end of this press release.
Balance Sheet
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had a cash position of $9.1 million, including $5.0 million of restricted cash and an additional $3.6 million of cash held by the WPT business that is included in current assets of discontinued operations, but which continues to fund the Allied Esports business until the close of a WPT sale transaction. The Company had a cash position of $12.1 million at December 31, 2019, which included $3.7 million of restricted cash and $5.2 million held at WPT. The total gross principal amount of bridge and convertible debt as of December 31, 2020 was $4.0 million, as compared to $14.0 million in the prior year period. As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s common shares outstanding totaled approximately 38.5 million shares.
Operational Update
Allied Esports
In the fourth quarter of 2020, Allied Esports produced 48 events, with 41 proprietary events and 7 third-party productions, across its North American and European business units.
During the quarter, Allied Esports continued to see strong demand in both its in-arena and online proprietary offerings. Over 1,000 players from North America and Latin America competed across Fortnite, PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG) Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile in Trovo Holiday Royale, a tournament which was co-organized by Trovo and Allied Esports. The event was live streamed exclusively on Trovo.Live.
Allied Esports continued to leverage its infrastructure for production services for several clients, including FaceIT, HyperX and Digi 1, among others. Services included both online productions as well as an in-person COVID-19-safe bubble environment at HyperX Esports Arena for participating teams.
Allied Esports also hosted one event on its HyperX Exports Truck in North America with partner Findlay Volkswagen in the fourth quarter.
In November, Allied Esports launched a 24-hour content strategy on Twitch, which has generated strong interest since launch. Hundreds of hours of Allied Esports’ tournament productions and exclusive original content are programmed around the clock across Allied Esports’ Twitch channels. The new 24-hour programming schedule generated nearly 3 million live views in the fourth quarter which was up 6,202% Y-on-Y. Growth in viewership also led to increased follower growth on Twitch by 7% in the fourth quarter.
Subsequent to quarter end, Allied Esports announced the renewal of their exclusive naming rights agreement for Allied Esports’ global flagship property, HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas, located at Luxor Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Per the multiyear deal, HyperX will continue to receive prominent branding and signage inside and outside of the venue, as well as across all arena promotions, content and social media platforms. Additionally, both companies will continue to partner on a variety of co-branded experiences and events at the arena focused on growing their gaming and esports communities.
Corporate Developments
On March 19, 2021, the Company announced an amended definitive agreement to sell its subsidiaries operating our poker-related business and assets comprising the World Poker Tour, to Element Partners, LLC subject to closing conditions, with a total transaction value of approximately $90.5 million.
In response to an unsolicited proposal of Bally’s Corporation to acquire the World Poker Tour for $105 million, on March 29, 2021, Element and the Company further amended their definitive agreement to increase the purchase price to $105 million. The Company’s Board of Directors will evaluate any additional proposals in due course in compliance with the terms of the Element definitive agreement.
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call today at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its preliminary fourth quarter and full year 2020 financial results. Participants may join the conference call by dialing 1-877-407-0792 (United States) or 1-201-689-8263 (International).
A live webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company’s Investor Relations site at http://ir.alliedesportsent.com. Additionally, financial information presented on the call will be available on Allied Esports’ Investor Relations site. For those unable to participate in the conference call, a telephonic replay of the call will also be available shortly after the completion of the call, until 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (United States) or 1-412-317-6671 (International) and entering the replay pin number: 13717880.
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B says that DFS remains a compelling vertical with huge growth potential especially if operators expand their offering into esports
The roll out of legal online and mobile sports betting across US states has presented a significant opportunity for operators, but the market has proved harder to crack than many anticipated.
The cost of customer acquisition is skyrocketing, building brand equity is taking much longer than expected, and there’s been a slowdown in new states embracing regulation and licensing.
This has led to a run of operators exiting the market as the numbers simply don’t add up.
But while this is happening, the daily fantasy sports space continues to thrive and remains a compelling opportunity for operators.
DFS has a unique legal standing in many states where sports betting is still restricted, allowing operators to reach audiences they otherwise couldn’t.
It also fosters deeper engagement with those who play – players aren’t just betting on outcomes; they’re actively managing lineups and pitting their knowledge and skills against others.
This is the perfect combination for retention and loyalty – something sportsbooks struggle to achieve with players easily swayed to join another brand simply because of a generous free bets offer.
There’s also an untapped opportunity in bringing the worlds of esports and daily fantasy sports together, allowing operators to connect with an entirely new audience.
Until now, traditional DFS brands have focused on the major sports, but the younger, digital-native audiences are more interested in esports such as CS2 and LoL than the NFL.
Why the DFS model works:
Before discussing how operators can get in on the esports DFS action, it’s important to understand why the DFS model works so well in the US, especially for those looking to diversify their offering.
The first is regulatory accessibility. DFS is legal in more states than traditional sports betting, allowing operators to enter markets where sportsbook licensing is unavailable or complex.
DFS has much lower acquisition costs while serving as a gateway to paid gaming. It often attracts a younger, more engaged audience at a lower CPA compared to traditional sports betting.
Strong user retention is another upside. Unlike one-off bets, DFS players return regularly to manage lineups, track stats and compete in contests, driving retention rates way beyond sports betting.
It’s also esports ready. Esports fans are highly engaged with player performance stats, making DFS a natural fit. It can then serve as an introduction to real-money esports betting when regulations allow.
The esports DFS opportunity to be explored:
DFS is an established and thriving vertical and while some operators offer esports within their proposition, it often lacks depth, innovation and mainstream adoption.
Esports fans are naturally engaged with stats, player performance metrics and in-game analytics, so easily segue into the DFS format.
Titles like LoL, CS2, Dota 2 and Valorant offer rich data sets that allow for creative and competitive fantasy formats, but most operators are yet to really get into it.
This leaves a major gap in the market and a huge opportunity for those who put together a compelling esports DFS product, especially as the popularity of esports betting grows.
What a compelling esports DFS product looks like:
The foundation of any esports DFS product is reliable, real-time data and the ability to provide a range of engaging contest formats.
This is where companies such as PandaScore come in. We provide operators with comprehensive esports data including player and team stats across all the major disciplines.
We supplement this with accurate odds and DFS pricing models, helping operators to set accurate and competitive odds – both our data and odds feeds are integrated seamlessly via API.
We also provide unrivalled market expertise; the team has years of experience powering esports betting which we leverage to ensure our partners can succeed with esports DFS.
In addition to markets and odds, players need to be able to access deep performance metrics so they can make informed decisions.
It’s also important for the operator to provide a smooth and intuitive experience via a seamless UX and mobile first approach to site and app navigation.
The diversity of the contests offered needs to be considered, too. This includes classic salary cap formats as well as pick’em games and more.
It goes without saying that social interaction needs to be baked into the experience through features such as leaderboards, private leagues and head-to-head challenges.
Operators need to get ahead in a rapidly evolving market:
The US sports betting and iCasino market is fast moving with the landscape constantly changing – just look at the conversation around sweepstakes casinos.
For me, DFS and especially esports DFS remain an underutilised growth channel that operators need to take advantage of.
As esports betting gains traction – PandaScore recently surpassed €1bn in bets through its platform – DFS serves as a vital entry point through which operators can build brand recognition and engage a digital-first audience primed and ready to play.
This audience might not be familiar with real-money betting today, but by providing them with an experience they are familiar and comfortable with, they can become the bettors of tomorrow.
At PandaScore, we are here to help operators capitalise on this opportunity with best-in-class data, pricing models and strategic support.
For operators, this means the numbers will always add up when it comes to esports daily fantasy sports.
BETBY, the cutting-edge sportsbook provider, has further cemented its position as one of the most innovative suppliers in the sports betting landscape following a standout appearance at SiGMA Americas, the leading event for the iGaming industry in Latin America.
Hosted in São Paulo, Brazil, SiGMA Americas brought together the industry’s most influential stakeholders, with a spotlight on the dynamic and fast-growing Latin American market. BETBY stood out at the event by showcasing the full strength of its flexible sportsbook solution, designed to empower operators with complete control over the betting experience.
A major highlight of the exhibition was BETBY’s showcase of its hyper-localised content capabilities, which empower operators to engage regional audiences with culturally relevant offerings. This strategic focus was exemplified by the industry’s most comprehensive Vaquejada betting solution, a rodeo-style sport particularly popular in northeast Brazil. BETBY’s unique content portfolio, which includes both pre-live markets and an immersive e-sim version of the sport, resonated strongly with operators and attendees. It demonstrated not only a deep understanding of regional preferences, but also the supplier’s ability to create tailored content for any market.
Alongside this, BETBY exhibited continued innovation through its proprietary esports feed BETBY Games, and its comprehensive suite of AI tools AI Labs, which leverages artificial intelligence to deliver personalisation, real-time recommendations, and enhanced operational efficiency.
As further recognition of its ongoing innovation in the iGaming industry, BETBY was honoured with the Best Esports Product award during the SiGMA Americas Awards ceremony. This win underscores BETBY’s vision to redefine the esports betting experience through its BETBY Games solution, which is designed to deliver unmatched flexibility, customisation, and engagement for operators and players.
“This recognition at SiGMA Americas is a proud milestone for our entire team, even though our presence in Brazil this week was about much more than awards,” said Leonid Pertsovskiy, BETBY’s Chief Executive Officer. “It was about connecting with the region, understanding what local players truly value, and showing that we have the technology and vision to meet those needs. We’re building products that scale globally but connect locally, and that’s what sets BETBY apart.”
PlayVS, the leading esports platform in North America, announced a multi-year partnership with Zenni Optical, the world’s leading online eyewear retailer. This partnership establishes Zenni as the official eyewear partner of PlayVS, bringing exclusive benefits to PlayVS’ esports community.
As part of this collaboration, Zenni will serve as the official eyewear partner of the PlayVS Cup, the annual national esports championship for high school students. The Cup provides top scholastic esports teams from across the country with an opportunity to compete for a national title and earn recognition and awards, including college scholarships. Zenni’s partnership will help power scholarship prizes for Cup finalists, furthering PlayVS’ dedication to empowering students and supporting their educational and athletic ambitions. These scholarships not only aid with alleviating financial strain, but also highlight esports as a viable pathway to academic and professional success.
Zenni’s eyewear will also be included in the prize packages that PlayVS Cup champions and PlayVS Awards winners receive, providing students with high quality eyewear to complement their gaming performance. Additionally, Zenni will offer members of the PlayVS community exclusive discounts on eyewear.
“We are excited to partner with PlayVS and expand our ongoing support of the gaming and esports community. Empowering a dedicated high school esports program that not only will generate awareness around the importance of eye health to a new generation of gamers but also support their academic pursuits is such an amazing opportunity for Zenni to partner with,” said Robb Chiarini, Head of Partnerships, Licensing, & Events at Zenni Optical.
Through this partnership, Zenni will also be integrated into PlayVS’ content series, Road to the PlayVS Cup, a set of videos showcasing different esports programs across the nation as they compete to earn a spot in the PlayVS Cup.
“Partnering with Zenni is a natural fit for us as we continue to grow the high school esports community. Zenni shares our commitment to supporting students in both esports and academics. By joining forces with Zenni, we’re empowering students with scholarships and enabling them to partake in healthy competition to foster their esports careers. We’re excited to work together and bring Zenni’s eyewear to our community of gamers,” said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS.
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