D&H Distributing is launching a “Components and Gaming” business unit around its esports, PC gaming, and integrated components for customized PCs.
The distributor announced on May 3 that the business unit comes with new hires, including former Samsung sales veteran Chris Geiser; esports sales specialist Brandon Beyer, industry esports consultant Bubba Gaeddert, founder of the Varsity Esports Foundation, and esports program manager Logan Hermes, of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE).
“The potential for esports and gaming has applications beyond just the education sector. The market will continue to expand as it aligns to the massive growth of virtual engagement across the public and corporate sectors. Many organizations are leveraging gaming solutions for engaging associates, testing, and attracting new customers.” said Geiser. “We’ll be initiating sales through channels including VAR, system builder, DMR, retail, and consumer electronics. These are markets where D&H has had a traditional stronghold, bringing this prospect to a greater range of partners. I look forward to accelerating D&H’s momentum in this category.”
A report from Business Insider says total esports viewership is expected to reach 646 million in 2023. D&H says it’s trying to capitalize on the esports surge early, and that it will help equip its channel partners to capitalize on this growing market.
“As it stands, only 10 per cent of K-12 schools are competing in Varsity-level esports tournaments, yet the sport itself is growing exponentially,” said Peter DiMarco, vice-president of VAR sales at D&H. “This creates a ground-floor opportunity, where 90 per cent of the education community is open for deployments. D&H is directing considerable resources to help partners add this discipline to their core competencies including VAR, retail, and DMR partners. We’ve gone into the esports community to align ourselves with organizations with expertise in this area, and are proud to welcome more of those professionals into the fold at D&H. Together, we’ll help our partners profit and expand as the category accelerates.”