According to reports from Forbes, 8-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt is partnering with young esports organisation, What You Love Doing Esports (WYLDE), becoming its has a new co-owner.
Based in Dublin, Ireland WYLDE was founded 2 years ago by former JP Morgan investment banker Steve Daly and David Cronin, a founding shareholder of Irish technology company QUMAS.
The esports team proudly promotes its “deep roots in the Caribbean,” while its teams and players come from countries including France, Germany, the U.K., The Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain.
In his new role, Bolt hopes to help the organization realize its global ambitions by focusing on competitive performance culture and entertainment from the very top of the chain.
Combining his world-famous history of success and passion for gaming, Bolt also aims to identify and support new and existing talent, with a further emphasis on diversity and inclusivity.
“WYLDE is on a journey to becoming one of the biggest brands in the fastest growing sport in the world,” Bolt said in an exclusive interview with Forbes.
“In esports, like in track and field, it’s critical to have that competitive, winning mentality. I look forward to working with the WYLDE leadership team to help our players to reach their potential, while also taking care of their physical and mental wellbeing.”
Co-founder of the team David Cronin also spoke to Forbes saying that Bolt’s involvement is set to take the team to the next level “Usain coming on board takes WYLDE to the next level,”
“With his vast competitive experience and Olympic-winning mentality, his guidance will be invaluable as we continue to build professional structures to support the development of our players.”
In partnership with its newest shareholder, WYLDE plans to host a Jamaican esports bootcamp later in 2022, adding to the squad’s recently established academy, which hopes to nurture gaming talent through community tournaments, professional coaching, and further WYLDE bootcamps across Europe.
Bolt’s addition to the WYLDE organization is the latest celebrity ownership move in the industry. Arguably kicked off by David Beckham at London-based Guild Esports, other stars entering the fray include Sergio Agüero (KRÜ Esports), Gareth Bale (Ellevens Esports), and Lando Norris (Team Quadrant).