Investment news in July 2021 was headlined by collaborations that continued to intertwine esports and traditional sports. Moreover, GameSquare Esports continued its acquisition spree, whilst EXCEL ESPORTS secured significant investment.
Every month, Esports Insider compiles a list of the month’s key investment stories. To read more about a story below, click the link in the corresponding title.
Spotlighted Story:
Evil Geniuses partners with Premier League club Wolves
North American esports organisation Evil Geniuses has announced a partnership with Premier League football club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It has also been revealed that the football club’s owners, Fosun Sports Group, have made a minority investment in Evil Geniuses. Financial details of the investment have not been revealed.
Despite not providing an investment figure, the announcement stated that Evil Geniuses is valued at $255m (~£183.8m) post-investment.
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Tribe Gaming secures investment from San Antonio Spurs parent company
Spurs Sports and Entertainment (SS&E), the parent company of NBA team San Antonio Spurs, has invested in mobile-focused North American esports organisation Tribe Gaming.
According to the release, the deal is set to open up opportunities for cross-content collaborations, co-branded marketing efforts, talent and audience crossover, and shared strategic expertise.
Financial figures of the investment have not been disclosed, however, the deal does see SS&E join Tribe Gaming’s investor group.
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World Pro Racing invests €300,000 in sim racing facility
Simulation racing event organiser World Pro Racing (WPR) has announced it is opening a dedicated facility for driver development, training, and hosting in-person sim racing events.
According to a release, €300,000 (∼£259,095) has been invested into the facility that will provide aspiring racers with the chance to train in a professional environment.
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EXCEL ESPORTS raises €20m through investment round
British Esports organisation EXCEL ESPORTS has completed a €20m (~£17m) investment round to fund its expansion and new headquarters.
The round was led by investment firm JRJ Group. According to a release, the funding will be used to help the organisation improve its infrastructure, this includes its new London headquarters, launching ‘operations into new territories’, and developing its digital platform XL.gg.
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GameSquare Esports acquires Cut+Sew and Zoned for $7.85m
International esports company GameSquare Esports has announced the acquisition of privately-held marketing agency Cut+Sew and Zoned.
According to the release, the purchase will total $7.85m (~£5.66m), with GameSquare paying in cash and shares. As a result of the acquisition, GameSquare Esports will look to benefit from Cut+Sew and Zoned’s marketing services, as well as being able to target new sectors.
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Community Gaming receives $2.3m in seed funding to build automated esports tournaments
Esports startup Community Gaming has announced the completion of a $2.3m (~£1.67m) seed round.
The funding round was led by the blockchain-focused investment firm CoinFund and a number of crypto companies.
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EEG enters Swedish betting market with Bethard acquisition
Esports Entertainment Group (EEG) announced the acquisition of B2C sports betting and online casino operator Bethard from its parent company Gameday Group.
The transaction includes a €16m (~£13.6m) cash payment and a 12 percent net gaming revenue share for two years. Per a release, Berthard generated $31m (~£22.4m) in revenue in 2020.
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