Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Los Angeles Dodgers and American rapper Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs are among the latest investors in high school esports league and platform PlayVS.
The news came as PlayVS closed its Series B funding round with US$30.5 million from investors also including German sportswear giant Adidas and Korean electronics giant Samsung.
The funding round was led by Elysian Park Ventures, the private investment arm of the Dodgers’ ownership group.
“We strive to be at the forefront of innovation in sports, and have been carefully searching for the right investment in esports,” said Tucker Kain, chief financial officer of the Dodgers and managing partner of Elysian Park Ventures.
“With PlayVS, we have found a model that works, built on a powerful platform that delivers an unparalleled player experience and will have a profound impact on the future of youth sports across the country.”
PlayVS, which gives high school students access to competitions and scholarships for university, secured US$15 million in its Series A funding round, prompting founder and chief executive Delane Parnell’s inclusion in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list. The closing of the company’s Series B funding round also coincided with the announcement of partnerships Psyonix, the publisher of Rocket League, and Hi-Rez Studio, which publishes SMITE.
“One of the reasons we’re most excited about esports is accessibility,” added Parnell said. “With this new round of funding and the addition of Rocket League and SMITE, we’re able to take another huge step forward as we open the pathway for more students to compete and be recognised in the burgeoning esports industry.”
Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Los Angeles Dodgers and American rapper Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs are among the latest investors in high school esports league and platform PlayVS.
The news came as PlayVS closed its Series B funding round with US$30.5 million from investors also including German sportswear giant Adidas and Korean electronics giant Samsung.
The funding round was led by Elysian Park Ventures, the private investment arm of the Dodgers’ ownership group.
“We strive to be at the forefront of innovation in sports, and have been carefully searching for the right investment in esports,” said Tucker Kain, chief financial officer of the Dodgers and managing partner of Elysian Park Ventures.
“With PlayVS, we have found a model that works, built on a powerful platform that delivers an unparalleled player experience and will have a profound impact on the future of youth sports across the country.”
PlayVS, which gives high school students access to competitions and scholarships for university, secured US$15 million in its Series A funding round, prompting founder and chief executive Delane Parnell’s inclusion in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list. The closing of the company’s Series B funding round also coincided with the announcement of partnerships Psyonix, the publisher of Rocket League, and Hi-Rez Studio, which publishes SMITE.
“One of the reasons we’re most excited about esports is accessibility,” added Parnell said. “With this new round of funding and the addition of Rocket League and SMITE, we’re able to take another huge step forward as we open the pathway for more students to compete and be recognised in the burgeoning esports industry.”
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