David Beckham is taking his esports company public
Published: Sep 10, 2020 - Last Updated: Jan 6, 2021
Guild Esports, in which footballer David Beckham owns a large stake, is looking to raise £20m by listing its shares on the London Stock Exchange. The company fields teams in Fortnite, FIFA, Rocket League and CS:GO.
This is the first Esports team in the UK to offer a chance to invest in their teams. It will float 40% of its shares next month in order to grow their roster of players.
The shares will first be offered to large investors at the beginning of next month and afterwards they will trade on the free market so that anyone can invest in the company.
The stock market listing writes that Guild Esports wants the stock market floatation to give their company, “caché, credibility and capital”
The sports model
The company plans to create a global sports franchise in the vein of the English Premier League and the NBA. They want to build on their current roster by investing in team skills and talent academics.
Guild Esports also wants to capitalise on the opportunities afforded to them by the pandemic, they have grown their fanbase as more and more people are searching for new types of in-home entertainment. They will also use the decentralized nature of Esports to hold tournaments online where other in-person sports cannot.
Beckhams influence
David Beckham is using his following and global influence to support the brand. He is one of the founding shareholders of Guild Esports and holds a significant minority stake in the business.
This is part of Beckham’s large investment portfolio, he owns stakes in fashion, fragrances, and a US Major League Soccer team in Miami.
He is not the first footballer to invest in Esports, Real Madrid player Gareth Bale started his own esports organisation, Elleven Esports in early 2020.
Editorial credit: Grey82 / Shutterstock.com
