Four A-List Celebrities That Have Invested Heavily In esports
There's no denying that esports is king (or queen) right now, and that the industry is booming more than ever. While esports was once a niche that not many seemed to understand, the recent COVID-19 pandemic saw the genre skyrocket in popularity.
It wasn't just being trapped in our homes that made esports the talk of the town - there was some major help from a number of big Hollywood A-listers. Back in 2018, The Motley Fool said esports was worth nearly a billion dollars and was rising fast, meaning you'd be "foolish" not to invest. Jump forward to 2020 and it has continued to climb. Here are four megastars you might not know have been investing in esports.
Michael Jordan
It's not just Space Jam that's made Michael Jordan famous outside the world of basketball. Putting his savings to good use, Jordan invested $26 million in aXiomatic, which is the parent company of Team Liquid. At the time, Ted Leonsis, co-executive chairman of axioMatic, said, "The next generation of sports fans are esports fans ... Esports is the fastest-growing sector in sports and entertainment, and aXiomatic is at the forefront of that growth. We are thrilled to welcome Michael and Declaration Capital to aXiomatic and look forward to working together on some truly cutting-edge opportunities".
Will Smith
Arguably an even bigger name is Will Smith, who decided to put his cash in Gen.G - famous for its Seoul Dynasty squad. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air legend is known to take a break from ruling it over the Hollywood box office and try his hand at esports.
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson is also hoping for a knockout with his interest in esports. The former heavyweight champion has revealed his plans to return to professional boxing, but elsewhere, he's put some serious dollar into esports. Tyson famously gave his backing to Hearthstone team Fade 2 Karma.
Drake
Finally, Drake has put his money where his mouth is. Drake's love of gaming was no secret thanks to playing Fortnite with Ninja on Twitch. The 2018 stream set the record a most-viewed for a single player, but his penchant for esports didn't end there. Drake teamed with Scooter Braun to become a co-owner of 100 Thieves - with a focus on lifestyle and apparel as well as gaming.
These four aren't alone in their massive investment in esports though. Steve Aoki, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, and even Jennifer Lopez have all tried to muscle in on the esports action.
Only recently, David Beckham was announced as a co-owner of Guild Esports and plans to launch teams in the likes of Rocket League, FIFA, and Fortnite. With more and more celebrities investing in esports, it could be a wise move to make. Well, if you've got a spare couple of million knocking around.
Images via Will Smith Instagram | Mike Tyson Instagram
