Allied Esports Entertainment Announces Engagement of Investment Banking Firm Benchmark to Provide Financial Advisory Services

Rhea-AI Summary

Allied Esports Entertainment (NASDAQ: AESE) has appointed The Benchmark Company as its exclusive financial advisor to facilitate a potential business combination. The company is exploring investment opportunities to utilize its cash reserves to either acquire or merge with existing businesses. The engagement is expected to expedite this process. Co-Chairman and President Lyle Berman expressed confidence in Benchmark's ability to identify and execute a transformative merger and acquisition transaction, aiming to enhance shareholder value.

Positive

• Engagement with The Benchmark Company may accelerate M&A opportunities.
• A focused approach on maximizing shareholder value through strategic transactions.

Negative

• Potential risks associated with the ability to execute on business plans.
• Market conditions might affect demand for AESE's services.

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AESE) (the “Company” or “AESE”), a global esports entertainment company, today announced that it has engaged The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) to serve as the Company’s exclusive financial advisor in connection with a potential business combination transaction.

As previously announced, the Company is actively pursuing opportunities to invest the cash on its balance sheet to acquire or merge with an existing business. To date, the Company has reviewed a number of potential targets and the continued sourcing of additional opportunities is ongoing. The engagement of Benchmark is expected to accelerate this process.

Lyle Berman, the Company’s Co-Chairman and President, said, “I am very pleased to announce our engagement with Benchmark to assist in the identification and execution of a transformative M&A transaction. After an extensive and extremely thorough search process, I believe Benchmark is the ideal investment bank to advise our team as we continue our efforts to maximize AESE shareholder value.”

About Allied Esports Entertainment

Allied Esports Entertainment (NASDAQ: AESE) is a global esports entertainment venture dedicated to providing transformative live experiences, multiplatform content and interactive services to audiences worldwide. For more information, visit alliedesports.gg.

Forward Looking Statements

This communication contains certain forward-looking statements under federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include our statements regarding our goals, beliefs, strategies, objectives, plans, including product and service developments, future financial conditions, results or projections or current expectations. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue,” the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: the ability to meet Nasdaq’s continued listing standards; our ability to execute on our business plan; the ability to retain key personnel; potential litigation; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for our services; a change in our plans to retain the net cash proceeds from the WPT sale transaction; our inability to enter into one or more future acquisition or strategic transactions using the net proceeds from the WPT sale transaction; and a decision not to pursue strategic options for the esports business. You should consider the areas of risk described in connection with any forward-looking statements that may be made herein. The business and operations of AESE are subject to substantial risks, which increase the uncertainty inherent in the forward-looking statements contained in this communication. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to release publicly the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Further information on potential factors that could affect our business is described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the SEC on April 13, 2021. Readers are also urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures we made in such Annual Report on Form 10-K

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220102005030/en/

Investor Contact:

Lasse Glassen

Addo Investor Relations

lglassen@addo.com

424-238-6249

Media Contact:

Brian Fisher

Allied Esports Entertainment

brian@alliedesports.com

Source: Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc.

FAQ

What did Allied Esports Entertainment announce on January 2, 2023?

Allied Esports Entertainment announced the engagement of The Benchmark Company as its exclusive financial advisor for a potential business combination.

How will Benchmark assist AESE?

Benchmark will help AESE identify and execute a transformative merger or acquisition, potentially accelerating the process.

What is AESE's strategy after the WPT sale transaction?

AESE aims to invest its cash reserves through acquiring or merging with existing businesses.

What are the risks mentioned in AESE’s press release?

Risks include market conditions affecting service demand and challenges in executing the business plan.