Guild Esports to launch with Beckham as co-owner

Guild Esports to launch with Beckham as co-owner

30 June 2020

Guild Esports, new London-based global eSports business co-owned by David Beckham announced it launch on the global eSports market which is “seeing unprecedented growth in popularity and cultural relevance as a leading form of competitive sport and entertainment”.

Guild Esports, managed by eSports veterans, is developing a talent pipeline in the UK based on the traditional academy model, which will see the best players coached and nurtured by industry leaders in order to attain the skillset required to compete professionally. A roster of scouts will continually find and sign the best young talent. With launching the Guild Esports brand, the company’s ambition is to “build a culture of excellence around its brand and digital presence”.

Guild Esports will scale in various eSports discipline over the course the upcoming season, with inaugural team expected to make its debut in autumn and its professional athletes set to compete in the most popular titles including Rocket League, EA Sports FIFA, and Fortnite.

David Beckham, co-owner of the company

Former football player David Beckham’s move into Esports is a natural progression given his experience developing sports businesses, most recently through his co-ownership of Inter Miami CF in the MLS; and his passion for guiding youth talent to achieve excellence. His involvement in the launch of Guild offers a powerful opportunity to introduce his level of professional sports acumen to the world of eSports and further strengthen this evolving sport. “Throughout my career I’ve been lucky enough to work with players at the top of their game, and I’ve seen first-hand the passion and dedication it takes to play at that level. I know that determination lives in our esports athletes today and at Guild we have a vision to set a new standard, supporting these players into the future. We are committed to nurturing and encouraging youth talent through our academy systems and I am looking forward to helping our Guild Esports team grow”, said David Beckham, Guild Esports co-owner.

A unique lifestyle apparel line

Guild has secured the talent of London-based artist Fergus Purcell to design its brand and develop a unique lifestyle apparel line with an aesthetic that is authentic to the eSports community and infused with his streetwear-inspired design philosophy.

A fast-growing market

The global eSports market, which has enjoyed tremendous support in Asia and is now fast establishing itself as a mainstream entertainment globally, is currently valued at US$1.1bn and is projected to grow by 42% to US$1.56bn by 2023. The number of eSports fans is estimated to be around 495m and is largely comprised of millennials – this number is projected to hit 646m by 2023.

 “The meteoric rise of eSports shows no signs of slowing down and this is the perfect moment for Guild Esports to enter this exciting market. (…) Esports is already one of the most popular spectator sports on Earth and will continue to grow globally as excitement, accessibility and knowledge of the sector soars. Guild looks forward to playing a big role in the future of this growing community”, stated Carleton Curtis, executive chairman, Guild eSports.

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