DRIVE, a enterprise capital agency partially owned by sports activities betting operator DraftKings, has introduced its funding in Boston-based esports organisation Warriors Worldwide.
The funding in Warriors Worldwide was one in all 4 portfolio additions introduced on November 10th. Alongside the hiring of CEO and managing companion Meredith McPherron, DRIVE is claimed to have recognized 4 classes it can proceed to put money into, together with gaming platforms, human efficiency, fan engagement, and information.
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DRIVE by DraftKings CEO & managing companion Meredith McPherron commented in a launch: “The continuing coronavirus pandemic has expedited technological developments out of sheer necessity, particularly in sports activities, gaming and media sectors the place fan engagement and interplay are the lifeblood.
“Every of those investments matches into the areas we’ve recognized as main drivers throughout these sectors not solely immediately, however tomorrow as nicely.”
Along with DRIVE, Warriors Worldwide is backed by Massachusetts-based VC agency Stage 1 Ventures. The organisation at present fields groups in Counter-Strike: World Offensive and Rocket League.
DraftKings CEO Jason Robins added: “As DRIVE embarks on a brand new chapter and route, the corporate couldn’t be in higher fingers than with Meredith McPherron taking the reins. The sports activities tech and leisure communities have a real strategic useful resource in DRIVE, which is able to empower portfolio corporations to speed up development and notice their full potential.”
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DraftKings helps esports wagering in operational U.S. sports activities betting markets the place it’s permitted, together with Colorado, New Jersey, and West Virginia. On the corporate’s most up-to-date earnings name, CEO Jason Robins predicted that esports betting “will likely be, if not the largest, actually one of many greatest classes of sports activities betting over the long run.”
Esports Insider says: DraftKings has been flirting with esports for some time now, providing fantasy esports choices and silently increasing its choices all through the U.S. as they grow to be regulated. This isn’t the primary time DraftKings CEO Jason Robins has publicly talked about esports and its potential, both, and we sense there could also be extra esports-related motion to come back from them quickly.
