Greek football team Panathinaikos have announced that they have launched an esports division, focusing on games such as League of Legends, Starcraft, Dota2, Counter-Strike, FIFA 17, and NBA2K.
"Greece [has] already made the first steps," the announcement read (roughly translated via Google), "with domestic competitions and teams competing [at] the level of Europe, and the first major championship (The League) held, attract[ing] in its final phase thousands of Greek viewers under [the] Egaming Thessaloniki International Fair."
Here is what President of Panathinaikos AO Dimitris Baltakos had to say on the movement into esports: "Panathinaikos AO performs a groundbreaking move that is expected to give the Association substantial benefits and, through this innovation, we turn to Greek players [who are] already abroad and now we give them extra motivation and organisational framework regarding the involvement them with esports. Competition in the digital environment and the combination of speed, accuracy, strategic thinking, team spirit, etc. It is proving extremely attractive and an option from the general public as entertainment (spectators) and [a] career (players). Panathinaikos AO, like other top clubs worldwide, in line in the times, [are] always with the development and progress".
The team will be partnering with Cowboy TV for their esports division.
