G2 Esports announced that this global esports club has raised $17.3 million from prominent New York investors and a variety of global tech moguls. The backers include New York investors Seal Rock Partners, Al Tylis, and Dan Gilbert. They teamed up with other investors Parkwood Corp. and Everblue Management to lead the round.
Alongside this group, G2 also raised money from tech and sports entrepreneurs including Yext cofounder Brian Distelburger; Doodle founder, Myke Naef; and Topgolf Media president, YuChiang Cheng.
The capital will be used to accelerate global expansion, fund franchise fees, and continue to invest in world-class business and content operations.
“The backing from this distinguished group of business leaders is a testament to the future growth of this organization,” said G2 Esports CEO Carlos “ocelote” Rodriguez, in a statement. “After an incredibly successful 2018 where we positioned ourselves as one of the leading entertainment assets in esports, G2 is doubling down on international growth, and continuing our investment in world-class content creation. We have partnered with the right investors, who have a deep understanding of a variety of entertainment industries, and significant experience in scaling successful companies and brands.”
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Cofounded by Rodriguez and Jens Hilgers in 2014, G2 Esports is a global esports brand with one of the fastest-growing fan bases in the West. G2 Esports was recently named by Forbes as one of the world’s most valuable esports companies, and in late 2018, the organization was accepted as a permanent partner into the League of Legends European Championship (LEC). The team is in first place following last year’s semi-final run at the World Championships.
“G2 Esports is well-positioned for exponential growth as it commits to seeing the advancement of LEC and the esports industry as a whole,” said Distelburger, in a statement. “We believe in the founding team and are thrilled to be a part of G2 Esports’ continued momentum and international expansion.”
To date, the company has raised $24.6 million.
Alongside a strong existing investor group including Zak Brown, Sumit Gupta, Go4it Capital and other veteran investors, this round brings G2 Esports’ funding to date to over $24.6M. Inner Circle Sports, a boutique investment bank headquartered in New York City, acted as G2’s financial adviser on the capital raise. G2 Esports has 47 employees.
