TL;DR
- Michael Jordan leads $26M Series C funding in aXiomatic Gaming, Team Liquid’s parent company
- Investment continues trend of sports legends entering esports, following Magic Johnson’s 2016 move
- Private equity billionaire David Rubenstein joins Jordan in landmark funding round
- Sports figures like Shaq and Rick Fox previously invested in competing esports organizations
- Jordan’s move signals major validation for esports as legitimate investment opportunity
The convergence of traditional sports and competitive gaming reaches new heights as basketball icon Michael Jordan makes his inaugural esports investment.
NBA legend and Hall of Fame inductee Michael Jordan spearheaded a substantial $26 million Series C funding initiative for aXiomatic Gaming, the corporate entity controlling renowned esports franchise Team Liquid. This strategic move exemplifies the accelerating pattern of established athletic celebrities allocating capital to the burgeoning competitive gaming sector.
“Diversifying my sports investment holdings through aXiomatic represents a calculated expansion into high-growth markets. The global esports ecosystem demonstrates remarkable scalability and international appeal, making this partnership particularly compelling,” Jordan explained regarding his investment rationale.
Beyond his iconic basketball legacy, the former Chicago Bulls superstar possesses extensive experience in professional sports ownership. In 2006, Jordan acquired minority ownership in the NBA organization currently branded as the Charlotte Hornets, subsequently transitioning to majority stakeholder by 2010. His brand remains inextricably linked with competitive excellence across athletic domains, with numerous analysts considering him the premier basketball athlete in history.
Jordan’s involvement follows previous high-profile sports investments in aXiomatic. Fellow basketball legend Magic Johnson initiated his stake in the organization during 2016. aXiomatic chief executive Bruce Stein emphasized the organizational enthusiasm surrounding this historic collaboration between two sporting icons.
“Uniting both Jordan and Magic within our investment consortium creates an unprecedented alignment of sports business expertise,” Stein commented.
The escalating mainstream acceptance of competitive gaming attracted attention from David Rubenstein, co-founder of multinational private equity giant The Carlyle Group and among America’s wealthiest individuals according to Forbes documentation. Rubenstein participated alongside Jordan in the aXiomatic Gaming funding initiative.
Team Liquid represents merely one beneficiary of this investment pattern rather than the inaugural recipient from NBA superstars. During 2015, former player Rick Fox acquired Gravity Gaming and reestablished it as Echo Fox, followed the subsequent year by Shaquille O’Neal obtaining controlling interest in NRG Esports.
Influential financial backers provide substantial momentum to the expanding esports industry, with figures of Jordan’s caliber acquiring ownership positions potentially catalyzing additional capital inflows into competitive gaming ventures.
Action Checklist
- Research emerging esports organizations with strong management teams and competitive track records
- Analyze market growth metrics and audience engagement statistics
- Monitor celebrity investor movements for market validation signals
- Evaluate diversification opportunities across different esports titles and regions
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Michael Jordan Invests in aXiomatic Gaming Michael Jordan invests $26M in Team Liquid's parent company aXiomatic Gaming, joining other sports legends in esports