Guild Esports, the esports business co-owned by David Beckham, has completed its public market flotation with a market capitalisation on admission of £41.2m.
The transaction, which included a £20m fundraise, was led by joint brokers Zeus Capital and Mirabaud Securities.
Launched in June 2020, the business has quickly established a management team of esports veterans with experience as professional players, coaches and the media.
Guild executive chairman Carleton Curtis is an architect of the Overwatch League and Call of Duty Leagues, with previous roles at both Activision and Red Bull.
Esports benefits from a rapidly growing fan base worldwide with some tournaments attracting a bigger audience than the Wimbledon tennis championships, Tour de France and US Open.
The firm becomes the first esports franchise to join the London Stock Exchange, and will use the funds raised by the listing to invest in the Guild brand, recruit new players and scale into various esports disciplines over the course of the 2020/21 season.
Players are initially expected to compete in titles including Rocket League, FIFA, CS:GO and Fortnite, and will generate revenues through tournament winnings, digital marketing opportunities, sponsorship, membership, merchandise and promotional tours and events.
Jamie Peel, director of corporate finance at Zeus Capital, said: “The gaming industry has exploded in popularity, with esports quickly becoming a mainstream form of entertainment. This is only expected to accelerate in the coming years, and with a hugely experienced and high-quality management team, the firm has already generated significant investor appetite. We are pleased to be able to support the business as it takes its first steps onto the public markets.”
