'Fortnite' Champion Bugha Signs With Gary Vee's VaynerGaming

17-year-old Kyle "Bugha" Giersforf made history in 2019 when he became the first-ever Fortnite World Cup Champion. Now, he's making it again as the first esports competitor to sign with VaynerGaming, Gary Vaynerchuk's newest addition to the VaynerSports agency brand.

What To Know: VaynerSports is already a notable agency. Based in Los Angeles and New York, VaynerSports already represents professional athletes such as Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson. VaynerGaming is the third division of the agency.

"I have been quietly paying attention to the gaming industry for over a decade, building relationships and following the trends," Vaynerchuk said in a release. "One of the most exciting things about it, for me, is the gamers themselves. And when I look at the culture, the interest in the sector from other athletes, artists, celebrities – it is enormous. This is a very significant expansion for VaynerSports."

Why It's Important: Vaynerchuk's move into esports isn't surprising. The entrepreneur has become a major supporter of Activision Blizzard ATVI "Call of Duty" team Minnesota Rokkr, and has been outspoken on the league's franchised format. The idea of localization is what attracted him to the league, and since his involvement, it's become obvious that esports are now an important focus.

"While lucrative, the gaming industry is still the wild wild west and unlike other sports, relevancy is not necessarily tied strictly to performance or wins and losses," said Darren Glover, who joined the agency as its Gaming Division Lead. "I don't believe anyone has a better ‘secret sauce' than what Gary and the Vayner ecosystem does for brands, talent, and professional athletes."