The Backstreet Boys just announced that they are joining in on the world of celebrity-owned esports.
The globally famous boy band just announced Backstreet Gamers (BSG), a new competitive gaming team joining the Global Gaming League (GGL), and have shared that they are searching for players to fill their first ever roster.
Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson will serve as celebrity team co-owners of Backstreet Gamers. Their entrance into the celebrity esports team world is placing them in a league of other star-backed squads, with fellow celebrity teams led by T-Pain, Ne-Yo, Howie Mandel, Flavor Flav, and GilliedaKing & Wallo26. The group also used today’s announcement to unveil the team’s logo and mascot.
“We’ve spent our careers performing together. Now we’re building a team to compete together,” Carter said. “We love gaming, we love a little trash talk, and we’re coming into this to win.”
Global Gaming League, founded by CEO Clinton Sparks with partners T-Pain and Priceline co-founder Jeff Hoffman, is aiming to bring the fandom, hyped-up rivalries and larger than life personalities of professional sports to the world of gaming. In GGL, esports teams compete across multiple video game titles and genres. The live streamed matches mix gameplay with music, celebrity appearances, and entertainment. The league describes itself as sitting at the intersection of gaming, music, sports, fashion, celebrity, and culture.
GGL’s model combines celebrity ownership, live competition, and global media distribution with a pathway for emerging players to reach the pro league. Sparks pitched the Backstreet Boys’ fan base as a built-in community for the team.
“Imagine giving that community a team to root for, rivals to beat, and a real opportunity to earn a spot on the roster,” Sparks said. “Someone playing in their bedroom today could end up competing for Backstreet Gamers on a global stage.”
The team’s announcement coincides with the launch of Drft Szn on GGL Primes, the league’s 24/7 online competition platform. Through the platform, aspiring players can enter online tournaments, compete for prizes, take masterclasses, and build their reputations for a chance to advance to the professional league. Players who stand out among the fierce competition have the option to pursue a spot on one of the celebrity-owned teams.
In their press release, the Backstreet Boys stated that they are particularly interested in recruiting women gamers for the roster.
“There are incredible women in gaming, and we want them to know we’re looking for them,” McLean said. “If you have the skill, the drive, and the confidence to compete, we want you to show us what you’ve got. You could be one of the players helping us build this team from day one.”
Celebrity-backed gaming teams and creator-led esports ventures continue to multiply as entertainment brands expand their reach toward gaming audiences. For the Backstreet Boys, whose fan base spans generations and borders, Backstreet Gaming presents an avenue for them to reach gamers and offers existing fans a new manner of engaging with the band. For GGL, a name like the Backstreet Boys adds mainstream star power to a league still continuing to expand on its celebrity-filled profile.
Players interested in trying out can sign up at GGLPRIMES.com. More information about the league is available at GlobalGamingLeague.com.