Tiidal Gaming (TIDL.C) welcomed Tom Hearne as their chief executive officer and member of the board today, as per their most recent press release.
Hearne brings with him experience as a veteran tech executive and the former chief financial officer of theScore (prior to its acquisition by Penn National Gaming for $2 billion), as well as experience with OpenText and London Stock Exchange listed publicly traded company Sportech..
“I am excited to be joining Tiidal and look forward to working closely with Charlie, Max, and the Board to deliver on core objectives and maximize the potential of the Company’s media and technology opportunities. There is a generational opportunity at the intersection of the major secular trends of gaming, media, and betting to build engaging experiences for the next generation of fan and consumer. I believe that Tiidal is uniquely positioned to be a leader in this revolution through its proprietary technology, significant viewership and brand following, and a Board and advisors of industry leaders across technology, media and sports and entertainment,” said Hearne.
What is Tiidal Gaming?
Tiidal Gaming’s core product is a media and tech platform operating in three different verticals: gaming, media and betting. They went live on the Canadian Securities Exchange in November 17, 2021.
Here’s how their board looks now:
- Tom Hearne – Chief Executive Officer—information listed above.
- Charlie Watson – Chief Gaming Officer: founder of Lazarus Esports with more than a decade of esports and gaming experience.
- Max Polaczuk – CTO: founder of Sportsflare with an extensive background as an AI engineer and data scientist.
- Gavin Roth – Head of Partnerships: industry expert with a 25-year career in sports, entertainment and media, having worked at Golf Canada, CFL, WWE and Rogers.
- David Wang – Director: EVP, Strategic Initiatives of Bally’s Interactive, following the acquisition of BetWorks by Bally’s in June 2021. He has also held senior leadership roles at Wynn, MGM and Sega Gaming.
- Jeffrey Orridge – Director: CEO of TVO and former CEO and Commissioner of the CFL. He has also held senior executive positions at Canadian Tire, CBC Sports, Warner Brothers, Mattel and USA Basketball.
- Neil Duffy – Director: Chief Revenue Officer, eFuse, an esports focused social network. He is a former executive of World Gaming and Collegiate Star League, which were previously owned and operated by Cineplex.
Tom Hearne joins Tiidal Gaming as CEO at the time when they’re just entering into the sweet spot where rapid growth is possible, and that’s by design. This company, as we stated earlier, is still brand new and Tom has a track record of taking companies through their rapid growth stage from revenues in the startup level through to the $100 million range.
“We set out to build a scalable leader when we formed Tiidal with the mandate to own and operate strategic assets across the gaming and esports ecosystems. Tom brings the perfect blend of technology, media and capital markets experience, and I sincerely believe that we, our Company and shareholders, will benefit from his leadership in our next phase of growth,” said Charlie Watson, chief gaming officer.
The company is focusing on rapid growth and commercialization of its Sportsflare products, including Betbuilder, Esports Odds and Bet-on-Yourself, as well as Lazarus’ media and other competitive offerings. Tom is here to help the company grow in the esports sector through a mix of organic growth and strategic M&A.
—Joseph Morton
Full disclosure: Tiidal Gaming is an equity.guru marketing client.
