E-Sports International

What E-Sports International does

E-Sports International operates the Houston-based punk rock act Ese, led by four members (Carlos V, Chris, Edward, Carlos S) with an executive leader identified as CEO Jan Rokita. The company has produced a catalog of three albums — 'Wuz Up Ese' (2008, Shattered World Records), 'Loud Death Chaos' (2009, Zodiac Killer Records), and 'All In' (2015, Sudden Death Records) — and books live performances across the U.S. through a contact form on its official website.

The business is a direct-to-consumer music and merchandise operation. Revenue comes from three streams: physical merchandise (e.g., the Ese Logo Tee in black, sizes S–XXL, priced at $40.00) sold through the company's own e-commerce storefront with Stripe/PayPal checkout; digital music sold through third-party retailers (Amazon, iTunes); and potential live show fees handled via a booking form. The technology footprint is standard: a mobile-first website with shopping cart, in-browser music streaming, social media presence on Facebook, Twitter/X, and YouTube, plus a ReverbNation profile. No apps, APIs, or proprietary technology beyond a basic EPK (Electronic Press Kit) have been disclosed.

Operationally, the company is small and independent — no venture capital, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no identified institutional investors. Distribution is supported by label partnerships (Sudden Death Records since 2014, preceded by Zodiac Killer Records), which provide reach into the punk and rock scenes. After a multi-year hiatus driven by health issues, the company has relaunched its website in 2026 and indicated that new material is in development, but no significant funding, hiring, or geographic expansion signals are present.

Name

E-Sports International

Legal name

Ese

Website

https://eseofficial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ese is a Houston-based punk rock band selling recorded music, branded merchandise (t-shirts, CDs), and live performances to punk and rock fans in the U.S., operating under E-Sports International with a label-backed distribution model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Guildford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts and other apparel through their e-commerce storefront. Physical products sold directly to consumers via website cart and checkout system.
2. Music Sales: Digital album sales through third-party platforms including Amazon and iTunes. Albums released on record labels.
3. Live Show Revenue: Potential revenue from live performances and show bookings at venues and events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ese (operating under E-Sports International) is a Houston-based punk rock band that records and releases punk/rock music albums on independent labels, sells branded merchandise (t-shirts, CDs) directly to fans through their e-commerce website, and performs live shows at venues across the U.S. The band operates a direct-to-consumer storefront and accepts show bookings from promoters and venues.

Product overview

Ese is a Houston-based punk rock band offering music albums (All In, Loud Death Chaos, Wuz Up Ese), live show performances, merchandise (t-shirts, CDs), in-browser music streaming, and an electronic press kit (EPK) for media inquiries. The band is signed to Sudden Death Records and Zodiac Killer Records.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• All In (album) Studio album containing 12 tracks of punk rock, released on the Sudden Death Records label and available for digital purchase via Amazon and iTunes.
• Loud Death Chaos (album) Studio album of punk rock released on Zodiac Killer Records, with featured tracks including Natural Born Loser and Big Brown Eyes, available via digital retailers.
• Wuz Up Ese (album) Debut studio album released on Shattered World Records, marking the band's first commercial recording.
• Band Merchandise (t-shirts, CDs) Branded apparel and physical music merchandise including t-shirts (e.g., Ese Logo Tee in Black, $40) and CDs sold directly to fans through the band's website storefront with cart and checkout.
• Live Performance Bookings Live concert performance services booked by promoters and venues; the band performs high-energy punk/rock shows at venues across the U.S., contracted through their website contact form.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sudden Death RecordscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014Ese joined the Sudden Death Records roster in 2014 after being noticed following years of touring. The label, founded by Joe Keithley (D.O.A.), also represents artists including The Damned, MDC, The Vibrators, Real McKenzies, and DOA. Sudden Death Records distributes and promotes the band's music.
• Zodiac Killer RecordscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrior to Sudden Death Records, Ese was signed to Zodiac Killer Records. Their album 'Loud Death Chaos' was released on Zodiac Killer Records in 2009.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• D.O.A. Founding Sudden Death Records artist led by Joe Keithley. D.O.A. is on the same label roster as Ese and operates in the same punk/hardcore lane with touring, recorded music, and live shows as core revenue drivers.
• The Damned: UK punk band on the Sudden Death Records roster alongside Ese. Shares the same label distribution, recorded-catalog business model, and touring/live-revenue orientation in the punk genre.
• MDC: Hardcore punk band on the Sudden Death Records roster. Operates in the same punk/hardcore niche with a comparable touring, recorded-music, and merch-driven indie business model.
• The Vibrators: UK punk band on the Sudden Death Records roster. Comparable as a long-running indie punk act that monetizes through recorded catalog, touring, and band merchandise via small-label distribution.
• Real McKenzies: Punk band on the Sudden Death Records roster. Comparable as an indie punk act that shares Sudden Death's distribution, touring circuits, and recorded-music revenue model.
• Against Me!: Independent punk band with a strong DTC and merch orientation, releasing music through indie channels and touring the U.S. Similar archetype to Ese: small team, owned e-commerce, indie label partnerships.
• Anti-Flag: Punk band operating through indie channels with significant merchandise revenue and touring. Closely comparable as a punk act monetizing through live shows, recorded catalog, and band-branded apparel.

Broad incumbents

• Dropkick Murphys: Larger, established Celtic-punk band that has scaled the same merch + touring + recorded-catalog model Ese runs, but at materially higher scale. Useful as an upside archetype for the band-DTC approach.
• Social Distortion: Long-running punk/rock band with a similar Texas-adjacent American touring base and a merchandise-driven DTC business. Comparable at the archetype level though at meaningfully larger scale than Ese.
• Bad Religion: Veteran punk institution that has sustained touring, recorded-music, and merchandise revenue across decades. Comparable as a long-horizon punk business model though at substantially greater scale and visibility.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/EsePunkRock
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNi1nMi0ydVCWWYpTgvTxdg
• Facebookfacebook.com/esetexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esports-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about E-Sports International