Team Liquid expands its ownership pool with investments from Hungrybox, EliGE, etc

Team Liquid selected five players or content creators close to the organization and invited them to invest directly in the company by purchasing shares with their own capital.

These new co-owners include Super Smash Bros. legendary Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma and pro Fights back player Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski, both players have been with Liquid since 2015. WNBA star Power in the air, professional poker player and streamer Alexander “Lex” Veldhuis, and actor Asa Butterfield are also among the investors.

Liquid Co-CEO Steve Arhancet said, via Digiday, that these five individuals have been selected by the organization’s management because they align closely with Liquid’s identity and philosophy, and have substantial resources to invest from a financial perspective — that is, all both are on the side of players and creators, not something that works their contract successfully.

“There is a difference between being awarded equity as a form of compensation, to bring alignment to the organization, versus selectively investing their own capital in the organization of which they are a member. ,” said Arhancet Digiday. “I think it speaks volumes about their decision-making and their level of confidence.”

No number or ownership stakes were disclosed, but Powers said there is a minimum investment threshold that must be met, although “of course it could be more”.

This is not the first sign that player- or creator-centric investments and expansion of ownership have occurred in e-sports. 100 Thieves, for example, added Rachel “Valkyrae” Hofstetter and Jack “CouRage” Dunlop to its owning group in April.

For Liquid, this provides what the company is calling a “significant contribution” from some of its biggest names, and allows management to bring those creators into higher-level conversations. .

“We can reach these individuals, who we know really from a financial perspective, but with their hearts also on our business, to gather their feedback before we release it. making big decisions at the company,” Arhancet told Digiday. “So it was like joining a leadership advisory group here at Team Liquid.”

Likewise, creators see this as a unique opportunity to invest in the organization that has invested in them, while continuing to do their own work, whether it’s competitive, creative, or private. question.

Powers, as chair of Liquid’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, sees this as one way she and the organization are “putting your money in your mouth” when it comes to equality and equal. Likewise, Hbox sees this as a unique opportunity that a normal job cannot offer.

“I used to work in engineering and those companies would give employees the opportunity to help out in retirement, things like 401ks and all that.” Hungrybox told Digiday. “Well, Liquid is an e-sports organization, they’re offering something a lot more unique.”

As esports — and more broadly, the organizations, players, and creators involved in the scene — continues to grow, it’s likely that individuals who join teams will have more opportunities to invest or take ownership in ways similar to these.