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Esports commentary veterans join forces to form Last Free Nation (LFN), a talent-owned podcasting media network. Led by esports personalities Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles and Duncan “Thorin” Shields, the team plans to bring their already popular esports content.
To achieve their goals, Last Free Nation has also brought podcast media expert Peter Morris to the board. With previous experience at PodcastOne, Barstool Sports, IMAX and Funny or Die, Morris will serve as CEO of Last Free Nation.
“Peter’s incredible knowledge of creating, distributing and monetization, as well as a perfect alignment with our long-term creative vision, will open countless new doors for driven esports talent to build something we own for the first time in our industry,” explains MonteCristo in a press release.
Unlike most esports content, Last Free Nation produces independent content – without influence from publishers, event organizers or teams. MonteCristo, Thorin and other signed talent – such as Richard Lewis, Christian “IWillDominate” Rivera, Auguste “Semmler” Massonnat, Wolf Schröder, Daniel “Dgon” Gonzales and Alex “MauiSnake” Ellenberg – are already known to fans for their captivating commentary and unfiltered takes.
This contrast between publisher- or team-driven content and talent-driven content will ultimately be what sets LFN apart from other esports podcasts. Drawing on Morris’s experience and the talent’s connection to fans, Last Free Nation is likely to adapt Barstool Sports’ content and commercial strategy to the esports audience.
LFN will build from a strong foundation. MonteCristo and Thorin’s podcast Calling up insight is already the largest League of Legends podcast in the world. They have reached 3.5 million fans and watched more than 7 million hours since the podcast began nearly a decade ago.
Last Free Nation plans to expand their offerings over time with new games, shows, and topics. The additional signing of talent and their ownership stake will undoubtedly influence the direction of future content. This independence and smaller team will also allow LFN to expand and commercialize the company more dynamically.
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