The owners of the 76ers announced Monday they have purchased a controlling stake in two e-sports teams, Dignitas and Apex, becoming the first North American sports franchise to own e-sports teams.
E-sports are video game competitions. They have existed on consoles and online for decades, but the popularity has grown to where fans fill arenas to watch on giant screens as professional players compete.
Dignitas has existed since 2003, and is one of the most established e-sports organizations. It competes in many games, including League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm and Smite. Apex is newer, but brings a guaranteed spot in the League of Legends Championship Series - one of the top e-sports competitions in the world.