LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Mitch Marner’s involvement in esports started with something familiar: a controller in his hands.
The Vegas Golden Knights forward is part of the ownership group of OverActive Media, the company behind the Toronto Ultra of the Call of Duty League and the Toronto Defiant of the Overwatch League.
For Marner, the investment reflects a longtime interest in gaming that continues alongside his NHL career.
WATCH | He shares more with Taylor Rocha:
“Yeah, that was a long time ago now,” Marner said. “I’m a big fan of video games.”
That passion has carried into his daily routine, especially as a way to unwind during the season.
“I like to do that after games or when I have time to relax — especially now being in Vegas,” Marner said. “It’s a way I can talk to my buddies and my friends on a daily basis, which is great.”
Marner joins a broader ownership group that has included entertainers and business leaders, as well as fellow investors with ties to professional sports. His involvement also reflects the increasing overlap between traditional sports and esports.
Still, Marner says his connection to gaming remains personal.
“It just gets my mind off things,” he said. “It’s a fun way for me to relax and just talk to my buddies and have some fun with them.”
As esports continues to grow, Marner’s role highlights how athletes are engaging with new audiences — even if, for him, it still comes back to simply enjoying the game.
-
Golden Knights win the Pacific Division title, beating the Kraken 4-1
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone played his 400th game for the franchise. Up next, the Golden Knights will host the Utah Mammoth in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Eichel, Stone lead VGK to win over Jets, close in on Pacific Division title
A victory over visiting Seattle in Wednesday night's regular-season finale will give the Golden Knights the division title and home-ice advantage in the first two rounds of the NHL playoffs.
Eichel scores in OT, Knights clinch playoff berth with 3-2 win over Avs
Vegas (91 points) took over the Pacific Division lead from Edmonton with its fifth win in six games since coach John Tortorella was hired to replace Bruce Cassidy.
Cole Smith reflects on North Dakota roots as Frozen Four lands in Las Vegas
With his alma mater back on college hockey’s biggest stage, Taylor Rocha talks to VGK forward Cole Smith about how the program’s culture and pride still shape him today.
