OverActive Media Brings Home Gold at the 2023 Sponsorship Marketing Awards

September 22, 2023 (TORONTO, ONTARIO) - OverActive Media (TSXV: OAM) (OTCQB: OAMCF), a global sports, media and entertainment company for today’s generation of fans, along with its longstanding partner, Bell, won gold at the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada’s (SMCC) 2023 Sponsorship Marketing Awards (SMAs). The two organizations were recognized in the “Events and Festivals” category for collaborating on the first professional Call of Duty League tournament hosted in Canada. Toronto Ultra Major III, Powered by Bell, broke new ground, setting the stage for future esports events in the city. The award marks the second SMCC win for OverActive, with the first being Property of the Year for Toronto Ultra in 2021.

Over the course of the four-day event, June 2-5, 2022, OverActive welcomed 8,000 fans, selling out both Saturday and Sunday. Toronto Ultra Major III, Powered by Bell, was broadcast live on Call of Duty’s YouTube channel and had a total of more than 1.7M hours watched. Bell’s title sponsorship of Toronto Ultra Major III was brought to life in a variety of ways, including an extensive promotional campaign, out-of-home media, and on-site branding, product integration, and fan experiences, reinforcing Bell as the top internet provider for gamers in Canada.

“Being recognized with Bell in the Events and Festivals category by the SMCC signifies continued progress for the esports industry in Canada,” said Tyler Keenan, Senior Vice-President, Partnerships & Revenue, OverActive Media. “As an avid supporter of OverActive, our teams and our fans since day one, Bell’s involvement in helping bring events like Major III to Canada raises the bar for esports events and future activations with our partners. Since Major III, we’ve hosted two major esports tournaments, with our third – the Overwatch League Grand Finals - kicking off next week.”

The Toronto Ultra celebrated an incredible 2023 Call of Duty League season, securing a Major title and a second-place finish overall. Since launching in 2019, they have continued to disrupt the Canadian esports scene, generating strong growth across multiple channels. The brand produced 36% follower growth, 100% impressions growth and 154% engagement growth, all year-over-year. The team returns to market in October to prepare for the 2024 season.

Launched in 2000 to recognize sponsorship marketing excellence, the SMAs have become a cornerstone of the SMCC and an anticipated event in the Canadian marketing calendar. The SMAs recognize and reward the work of properties, brands, and agencies that have maximized the return on their investments in sponsorship marketing. Past Events and Festivals Award winners include Visa, Coca-Cola, and Ford.

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