Željko Karajica, a leading figure in the German sports media-rights industry, has taken up a position as consultant to #loggedinfestival, the new online esports platform.
Karajica recently left ProSiebenSat.1, the commercial broadcasting group, amid a restructure of its sports unit 7Sports.
Commenting on his new remit in the esport space, he said: “When I was introduced to the idea it grabbed me directly. I like the enthusiasm and commitment with which the initiators got started.”
The platform advertises itself as an “online festival to unite people all over the world through esports, social media, entertainment and interaction with each other”. It is the brainchild of Hamburg-based real estate firm Home United and the Berlin-based Unicorns of Love esports team.
Home United told the New Business website: “Over the next few days, weeks and months, we will be developing different formats on our channels to provide entertainment and a sense of community during this challenging time with eSports and gaming. Many celebrities from different fields will also support us.”
At the start of 2017, Unicorns of Love signed an exclusive marketing agreement with the German arm of the Lagardère Sports agency.
Karajica also last month stood down as chairman of the executive board at 7Sports as he left ProSiebenSat.1 “at his own request”.
He helped form 7Sports as a unit responsible for rights acquisition, new digital platforms, sports productions, events and athlete management.
Karajica became chief operating officer and managing director of ProSiebenSat.1’s German broadcast arm in 2012. He was also previously the managing director of Sport1, the Constantin Medien-owned sports broadcaster formerly known as DSF. His sports broadcast experience also includes a spell as head of creative services at Premiere, the German pay-television broadcaster now known as Sky Deutschland.
He has also held management positions at Constantin Sport Medien and Plazamedia, the Constantin Medien-owned sports production company.