About

 

The Team

The Washington Justice™ proudly represents the entire Capital Region from Baltimore to Richmond in the Overwatch League. Washington Esports Ventures, led by DC-based entrepreneur Mark Ein, announced their investment in September 2018 as part of Activision Blizzard's global League expansion.

Washington Justice’s official team colors are red, white, and blue and the logo is composed of a shield banded in red and white stripes. The bottom of the shield forms a subtle “W” in tribute to the region, centered on the Washington Monument. The shield is crowned with a single white star in a blue setting as an ode to the American flag, our capital city, and as a symbol of unity.

Washington Justice is in the business of managing a professional esports team and has merchandising opportunities through a variety of products that can be found here.

#JusticeIsServed

 
 

Washington Esports Ventures

Washington Esports Ventures was founded to purchase an Overwatch League Team and build other esports teams that will represent the thriving Capital Region incorporating all of Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia—from Baltimore to Richmond.  The Company is led by Mark Ein, a Washington-area businessman, civic leader, philanthropist, sports team owner, and native Washingtonian.  Mark and his ownership group believe in the power of sports as a platform to inspire people and bring communities together. The Company's esports assets, including the Overwatch League team, will be part of Mr. Ein's existing sports platform that owns the Washington Kastles, one of the most successful teams in the 45-year history of World TeamTennis, embraced by the Capital Region since its founding in 2008.  Joining Mr. Ein as investors and board members are Artist Capital Management, a New York-based growth equity firm as the lead financial partner and Dyson Dryden, Mr. Ein's business partner and a Baltimore native.  Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, is an anchor supporter of the team. Other partners include PenFed and DC Brau

 

Mark Ein

Mark D. Ein is the founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Venturehouse Group, LLC and Capitol Investment Corp IV. He is an investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who has created, acquired, invested in, and built a series of growth companies across a diverse set of industries over the course of his 25-year career. During this time, Mr. Ein has been involved in the founding or early stages of six companies that have been worth over one billion dollars and has led over $1.5 billion of private equity, venture capital, and public company investments. Among the current majority-owned companies in the portfolios are Kastle Systems, LLC, the country's leading provider of building and office security systems acquired in January 2007. Mr. Ein currently serves as Chairman of the Boards of Kastle, Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIND), Capitol Investment Corp IV (NYSE:CIC),  VSGi, Inc., and is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Cision Ltd. (NYSE:CISN) and Soho House UK Ltd.

Mr. Ein, a native of the Washington area, is also the founder and owner of the Washington Kastles World TeamTennis (WTT) franchise that has won the league championship six of its eleven years since its founding. The Kastles also set the record for the longest winning streak in US pro team sports history, winning 34 straight matches from 2011 through 2013.

A native of the Washington area, he actively supports many community, charitable, and cultural organizations. Mr. Ein currently serves on the boards of the DC Public Education Fund (raising $120 million of philanthropic support for DC Public Schools since he became Chairman in 2010), DC College Access Program, DC Policy Center (co-founder), the United States Tennis Association (where he is a Vice President of the Board), and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He has won numerous awards including induction into the Washington Business Hall of Fame, Washington DC Business Leader of the Year from the Chamber of Commerce, the Jefferson Award (the nation's highest honor for public service), Washington Business Journal Top Corporation for Philanthropy by Giving in Small Companies, Washington Business Journal Power 100, and Entrepreneur of the Year Awards from Ernst and Young and the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). In September 2009, Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty presented Mr. Ein with the Key to the City, highlighting not only his Washington Kastles success on the court, "but for their commitment to the District's communities and our youth."

 Prior to starting his firm, Mr. Ein worked for The Carlyle Group, Brentwood Associates and Goldman Sachs. He received his BS in Economics with a concentration in finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from The Harvard Business School. For more about Mr. Ein, visit www.capinvestment.com.

Grant Paranjape

Grant Paranjape is the Vice President of Esports Business for the Washington Justice, D.C.’s Overwatch League franchise. With a background in both endemic esports and traditional sports, Paranjape brings a wealth of experience as the franchise continues to cement its place as a premier esports organization and establish DC as a best-in-class destination for esports.

In his role with the Justice, Paranjape leads business and team operations for the franchise, and works to expand the organization’s passionate local fanbase. Under his direction, the Justice entered into successful partnerships with several iconic DMV brands, including Pentagon Federal Credit Union and DC Brau. Further expanding the organization’s footprint in advance of the 2021 season, Paranjape oversaw the relocation of the team’s headquarters to Penn Quarter, in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C.

Recognized for these efforts, Paranjape was a recipient of both the Sports Business Journal New Voices Under 30 and Front Office Sports Rising 25 awards, highlighting his innovation and leadership within the esports industry.

Paranjape, a native of Birmingham, Michigan earned his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, in 2014 from Tulane University, where he was also an accomplished oboist in the university orchestra. While earning his MBA from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business, he leveraged his passion for video games to join the rapidly expanding esports industry. By leaning into his experience as a former professional player, he was able to find early success consulting and advising multiple organizations as they began operating within the industry.

Prior to joining the Washington Justice, Paranjape worked as the Director of Esports Business and Team Operations for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, leading the organization’s efforts within esports. In that role, he directed strategy and business initiatives for MSE’s esports operations, including overseeing the launch of the sports brand’s NBA 2K League team and their entrance into NHL esports.

The Overwatch League

The Overwatch League is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams in Asia, Europe, and North America. Created by globally acclaimed publisher Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard), Overwatch is one of the most popular esports games in the world with more than 40 million players globally, including nearly one million players in the capital region. In its inaugural season, the Overwatch League drew more than 10 million viewers in its first week and fans spent 160 million hours watching the best Overwatch players in the world compete throughout the season. The League has also secured high profile broadcasting agreements, including a two-year deal with Twitch – a live streaming video platform owned by Amazon – and a separate agreement with ESPN and Disney XD. The Overwatch League was ESPN's first live broadcast of esports in prime time, solidifying the league as an esports heavyweight.