Speaker:  Jamie Gerson

Daniel Siegel

Head of ESports Licensing

Activision Blizzard

Daniel Siegel was hired by Blizzard Entertainment in 2017 to fill the newly created position: Head of Esports Licensing. Daniel’s focus is building the licensing and merchandise programs for Overwatch League and the recently launched Call of Duty League.

Over the last two years, Daniel has led a team that has built the largest collection of world-class licensing partners in esports, including relationships with Fanatics, Jeff Staple, Outerstuff, Mitchell & Ness, Starter, New Era, Private Label, Stance, and Upper Deck, among many others.

Prior to joining Blizzard, from 2007-November 2017, Daniel served as Vice President of Licensing at WME-IMG, where he was responsible for developing and implementing licensing strategies for IMG’s clients, securing worldwide rights to represent top-tier brands, including JEEP. Daniel also solicited, negotiated, and managed new licensing partnerships on behalf of clients including: EA SPORTS, ESPN, Wayne Gretzky, Serena Williams, American Greetings, GNC, 20th Century Fox, and The Automobile Association of America (AAA).

Before to joining WME-IMG, Daniel served as Vice President of New Business Development and Legal Counsel for CMG Worldwide, Inc. from 2000-2007. At CMG, Daniel was responsible for licensing an array of entertainment, sports, and historical icons including Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Babe Ruth, Vince Lombardi, Jackie Robinson, I ♥NY, and Malcolm X. Daniel also spearheaded an advertising campaign with Neutrogena, making Jason Taylor (then a defensive lineman for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins) the company’s first-ever male spokesperson.

Daniel graduated from UCLA with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies and earned his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School (Los Angeles).