Kansas City Chiefs player and Team Diverge owner JuJu Smith-Schuster has invested in technology company World Champion Fantasy.
Alongside the investment, Smith-Schuster will act as a spokesperson for PlayerX, a new fantasy esports platform.
To mark the deal, Smith-Schuster will wear custom cleats featuring the PlayerX logo. Created in July 2022, the platform — currently in beta development — allows users to compete in fantasy competitions across a range of competitive titles including VALORANT and CS:GO. According to the website, it plans to expand its offerings into League of Legends and Call of Duty during the first half of 2023.
In addition to providing fantasy esports leagues, the platform uses AI to create highlights alongside live feeds of tournaments taking place. According to a release, PlayerX will ‘shift the way users play’ fantasy sports by utilising a range of customisation options.
The platform doesn’t feature elements of gambling, enabling fans of all ages to compete in fantasy esports leagues.
Prior to investing in World Champion Fantasy, Smith-Schuster has collaborated with a range of brands in the esports space. In 2021, he became a brand ambassador of Nerd Street Gamers as well as extending his existing partnership with gaming peripherals brand HyperX. In 2020, Smith-Schuster launched his own esports organisation Team Diverge.
Mike Vela, CEO of World Champion Fantasy, spoke on the deal: “JuJu is an esports visionary and has helped merge the esports world with the greater sports and entertainment industry for the past four years. Through his involvement with noted esports brands and Team Diverge, he has proved to be one of the market’s greatest advocates, underscoring that gamers are true athletes.
“After demoing our upcoming PlayerX platform design, JuJu sees how we’re building game-changing technology to forever shift the way users play, stream and experience fantasy sports. His unique vision is going to help WCF elevate our platform beyond anyone’s imagination.”
