David Beckham is now a proud co-owner of Guild Esports, a new organization that will initially focus on Rocket League, FIFA and Fortnite. Operating in the UK, Beckham will leverage his years of experience as one of the world’s most recognizable athletes to help build the organizations new brand.

While Beckham is sure to be a massive draw among fans, especially for FIFA, the daily operations will be handled by Carleton Curtis, who recently made headlines after leaving Activision in the role of Vice President, having successfully implemented esports leagues for both Overwatch and Call of Duty.

Blue Star Capital PLC (LON:BLU) revealed that Guild Esports is moving forward with its global launch, which was likely tied to the timing of Beckham’s association with the organization. Both Beckham and Blue Star are part of a £25 million fundraising effort.

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Speaking about the move was Blue Star Chief Executive Tony Fabrizi, who stated, "We are very pleased to announce today's news from Guild regarding its global launch and the association with David Beckham. The team behind Guild is incredibly strong and gives us great confidence that the company has an exciting future."

Via: everyeye.it

Given that esports has undergone steady growth for the past two decades, it comes as little surprise to see someone like Beckham join in on the action. Esports winnings have grown by 205% over the past twenty years, and while 2018 saw a total of $155.9 million awarded in prize pools, 2022 remains on track to reach expected industry revenue levels of $1.8 billion.

While Beckham is sure to be a massive draw among fans to help Guild Esports grow as an organization, the former soccer superstar is not the first athlete to transition into the world of esports. In 2018 Michael Jordan was part of a $26 million round of Series B funding to buy into esports and video gaming organization aXiomatic Gaming. Other major names from traditional sports who have made the leap into investing in esports also include Mark Cuban, Shaquille O’Neal, Rick Fox, Alex Rodriguez, NFL owners Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones, and others.

While Guild Esports is beginning from scratch, we are excited to see where the expert experience of Carleton Curtis will take the organization in the months to come!

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