ABOUT
BIOGRAPHY
Marcus Luer is Asia’s #1 Sports Marketing Entrepreneur and the Group CEO of TSA (Total Sports Asia), Asia’s global sports marketing agency which he founded 25 years ago in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. www.totalsportsasia.com
Marcus is a thought after industry expert and speaker and has been featured on CNBC, BBC News, Bloomberg Asia, regularly presents at major global sports conferences and has contributed to many international newspapers and industry magazines articles.
He recently launched his own Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast Series featuring top sports executives and entrepreneurs from around the world. www.marcusluer.com
Sports Business International (SBI) magazine voted him into the “SBI 200 Team”, comprising of the most influential leaders in the industry over the past 18 years.
Total Esports (TES), is his latest venture, combining the expertise in sponsorship, media and IP licensing from the traditional world of sports to the booming Gaming & Esports ecosystem. TES works with top Gaming publishers, platforms and Esports teams from around the world in Asia. TES is also involved in launching new OTT Gaming platforms in MENA (www.d11.gg) and SEA region (www.hubber.gg).
He is also the Co-Founder of GLORY Sports International (GSI), the #1 Kickboxing League in the world. www.glorykickboxing.com
Marcus also created the Branded Real Estate (BRE) concept, a brand consulting business to the Real Estate industry. www.brandedrealestate.com
BRE has developed a very unique set of skills which matches the power of Superbrands with Residential Real Estate projects in the region. From the Michael Schumacher World Tower to two Armani Residences in India and China, TSA BRE has developed projects with a combined GDV value of over US$ 1 billion and is the leading agency globally in this space.
Living and working in the sports industry in Asia for over 25 years, Marcus is considered one of the Founding fathers of Sports Marketing in Asia and continues to follow his passion to develop the Asian and global sports industry.
At the end of 1997, at the age of 29 and after three years in Asia working for World Sports Group (WSG), Marcus founded TSA. Marcus’ drive and leadership has guided the company to what it is today, Asia’s global leader in sports content and branding solutions. TSA has created over US$ 500 million worth of new revenue for rights holders globally over the past 20 years and targets to generate US$ 1 billion over the next 10 years for Asian sports and Esports properties.
TSA represents and/or has worked with major global sports brands from Premier League Football Clubs, Formula One teams, WWE, US Open Tennis and a host of Olympic Sports Federations (BWF, ITTF, AIBA, IAAF, FINA, UCI, etc) over the last 23 years. TSA also partnered with the SPARTAN RACE series in 2015 to develop the first events in Asia.
TSA’s role is always focused on developing new commercial opportunities and build larger platforms for rights holders, events, Venues and brands in the region or worldwide. TSA’s clients range from broadcasters, Asian multinationals to global corporations and governments seeking to maximize the power of sports for their own brand benefit.
TSA provides a range of consulting services to these clients, for example, as the Commercial Partnership Consultant to KL Sports City, TSA created Malaysia’s first Venue Naming rights deal with the Axiata Arena. TSA is currently developing a 10 Year Sports Masterplan for an Asian Government, including grassroots, education to elite athlete training concepts. Sports Education is becoming a new driving force in Asia and TSA has partnered with the prestigious Loughborough University in the UK.
TSA Football is focused on serving the growing Asian Football market, including Player transfers, Football Club/Leagues Consulting services, sponsorship and other fund raising.
Marcus’ ventured into the Digital start up space with SPORTSFIX, a Netflix of Sports concept in Asean. Sportsfix focus is live and on Demand content delivered via an OTT (Over the Top) platform incorporating Blockchain technology targeted towards the new generation of sports fans which heavily consume content on their mobile devices.
In early 2012, Marcus teamed up with a group of blue chip investors and Fight Sports industry experts to launch GLORY Kickboxing, the premier kickboxing League in the world. Marcus used his 20 years of experience across the global sports marketing world to start the new venture. GLORY has produced over 70 events since its inception in major cities around the world from London, New York to Tokyo and will continue to expand its reach with more events in the future, including events in China and across media platforms worldwide.
Marcus is not just an avid sports executive and fan but also gets into the action. You will see him regularly participate in Triathlons or other races across the region. He is also a member and active on the board of YPO’s (Young Presidents Organization) Malaysian Chapter since 2007.
MARCUS has been an active member of YPO MALAYSIA (www.ypo.org) since 2007, holding various leadership roles and currently being the Chapter Chair of YPO Gold Malaysia and the Regional Chair of the Sports & Entertainment Industry Network (SEIN) in ASEAN.
The YPO SEIN network has top leaders in sports and entertainment as members, from NBA/NFL/European Football team owners to Hollywood Studio Executives.
“You might have seen several members on my Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast. Some of the most important people in my life have come from this amazing organization including several of my current business partners around the world. My Forum Members are my most trusted advisors. I am a proud member of this amazing organization and strive to uphold the high standards set by my peers.”
YPO is the premier Peer to Peer organization for CEO’s and Entrepreneurs and has over 30,000 members globally controlling companies who are generating US$ 9 Trillion in revenue annually.
That would be third biggest economy in the world after the US and China. With larger power comes large responsibilities and YPO takes this extremely serious being involved in a variety of important social causes.
EXPERIENCE
PAST & PRESENT
Founder & Group CEO
Built the business from a small one man show based in a tiny shop lot in KL to Asia's global leader in Sports content and branding solutions with a regional office presence and global impact.
Founder & CEO
Total Esports (TES) is providing TSA's core and flagship Services which have generated over US$ 500 million for the sports industry in the past 20+ years to the booming Gaming/Esports industry now.
TES is brokering and creating deals in the Gaming Ecosystem. We have already created a few "firsts" and build strong relationships and partnerships with key parties from Publishers, Platforms, Promoters to Teams/Gamers and influencers.
The Esports ecosystem needs REVENUE and TES will provide new sources of revenue for these parties. We have been there and done this successfully before. It's a simple win win situation for all parties involved. TES positions itself as the go-to agency for creative revenue streams in ASEAN/ASIA/MENA.
Co - Founder & CEO
The Gamers Hub. The ultimate Hub for the serious Gamer & Streamer in Thailand (and soon beyond). From Influencer Challenges to Community & Esports Tournaments. Build for Gamers by Gamers.
Partner
Pangea Cup is Shark Tank meets The Voice for Indie Game developers. Game changing format for the Gaming industry. Incredible group of people involved from around the world including David Falk (MJ's Superagent). Watch out for the show and the amazing games we will unearth. Entire ecosystem being build to bring the world of gaming together
Board Member
Co- Founder
Glory Sports International (GSI) is the holding company of GLORY KICKBOXING and the GLORY WORLD SERIES, the #1 Kickboxing League in the world.
Founder & Executive Chairman
We disrupted the world of sports content viewing, experience and distribution in South East Asia. First live non linear sports OTT platform for Asean, integrated Blockchain tech, tokenization model, etc. Unfortunately ran out of steam and had to abort. We will be back.
Sales Director
First in charge of setting up the Asian Basketball Federation's commercial program & then part of the amazing team which launched the Asian PGA Tour from scratch with 20 events across Asia. We pioneered sports markting in Asia and sold people on the idea and vision of what Asian sports can be if its done professionally. Crazy learning curve from selling sponsorships, TV rights to managing events across the region and forever thankful to Seamus O'Brien for bringing me to Hong Kong. A 3 year crash course before I started TSA.
World Cup Venue Manager
Dallas Venue Manager during the FIFA World Cup 1994. The most amazing experience & introduction to the world of Sports being directly involved in the greatest event on earth. Right after graduation I was thrown into the water and had to swim. I couldn't believe I was getting paid for doing what I would do for free. And the rest is history....
RECOMMENDATIONS
RECEIVED
Everywhere you go in the business, you come across TSA alumni & great thing is that we are all still good friends and help each other wherever we can. Marcus created that and deserves huge credit for shaping the Asian sports marketing industry. "
" At the cutting edge of the sports business for the last twenty years, always ahead of the game and with the instincts and contacts to turn dreams to reality. "
One of the pioneers of Sports marketing in Asia and a successful one at that. He provides massive support system, flexibility and ample space to deliver ones true potential whilst one works with him. A true sign of a leader.
I was able to run TSA offices successfully across Indian Subcontinent and Middle East because of the above attributes. "