North American esports organization Evil Geniuses has revealed a partnership with Premier League soccer club Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, it was announced today.
The partnership will see the Fosun Sports Group, which acquired the Wolves in 2016, make a minority investment in EG, valuing the team at $255 million post-investment. With this deal, Evil Geniuses will be the first esports team with a physical presence in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
The partnership and investment will enable EG to continue expanding its business into global markets. The deal will also see Wolves branding featured on EG’s uniforms, as well as collaboration to create English and Chinese content, sponsorship opportunities, and jointly branded merchandising.
“We are thrilled to partner with Wolves, a storied football club and strong sports and entertainment brand that aligns with our values and mission,” EG’s CEO Nicole LaPointe Jameson said. “This deal will help power Evil Geniuses’ expansion into the Asian markets while also providing new capital to sign more world-class players and grow into new esports titles.”
This is not the first step for Wolves in esports as the soccer club owns teams in FIFA, Call of Duty Mobile, and Rocket League, which will not be dissolved, according to Wolves Esports’ manager Michael Moriarty.
“Wolves Esports isn’t going anywhere–we’ll still be keeping our presence in China as well as the titles we have based here in Wolverhampton,” he said. “This partnership between the club and EG will benefit all sides, as we grow and develop esports excellence together.”
