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[Tripon]

"America's team" might be on the cusp of entering another competitive arena: e-sports.

The organization has quietly spent more than a year mulling over whether it should buy an established e-sports team of teens and 20-somethings who competitively play video games in front of fans for cash prizes.

"When it comes to something like e-sports, it makes so much sense for us because we're such a sales driven organization," said Matt O'Neil, senior VP of brand marketing for the Dallas Cowboys. "If we thought we could buy a team for -- gimme a number -- $2 million, $3 million, $5 million or whatever, but get $7 million in sponsorship deals over the next couple years it becomes a no-brainer."

"Whether or not e-sports thrives long term, if we felt we could make that money today, then let's go," he added.

Should the Cowboys host an e-sports event, they could use the information to potential sponsors and make a case for reaching very specific audiences at scale, according to Epsilon.

If the Cowboys do wind up buying an e-sports team, it would be the first NFL team to do so. The team's Mr. O'Neil said many professional teams are exploring the space, adding that his brother, Philadelphia 76ers CEO Scott O'Neil, helped orchestrate that team's acquisition of two e-sports teams in September, a first for the NBA.

"He think it's awesome," Matt O'Neil said regarding his brother. "The Cowboys haven't plunked yet in e-sports. We're still in the research mode. But we really like the space."

http://adage.com/article/digital/dallas-cowboys-consider-buying-esports-team-epsilon/307553/

Will America's team come to a DOTA2 tournament near you?