Atlantic City Sports Commission

264 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 gaming.” Says Gallagher. “It’s competitive video gaming at the highest level, and there’s a lot of different revenue streams that have come from it. These are true athletes that have garnered significant sponsorships through entities like the NBA and major corporate companies that have sponsored and created their own teams. They go through a similar regimen to another athlete, where they have practices and scrimmages in order to prepare for these events that boast a significant purse price at the end of them.” Atlantic City has hosted the Collegiate Star League, which brings together the best collegiate players in Canada and the US. “We’ve hosted major titles like Gears of War, Halo, Madden, and in-person events in Atlantic City. At the ATLANT IC CI T Y SPORTS COMMISSION end of the day, that’s what you want, because as a destination that main goal is to drive economic impact to the region,” he maintains. Of course, success is always the result of strong alliances, which Gallagher expresses that the AC Sports Commission truly values. “I don’t think we could do this without our partners,” he professes, mentioning OVG Group, the management company for the Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall, as one of the Commission’s most valued partnerships. Atlantic City’s 9 casinos are also a major factor in the success of sports and sporting events in the city. Although at first there was a bit of a learning curve, as casinos were not looking for the sports demographic, it was soon realized that athletes