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Jamaican sports icon and world record sprinter Usain Bolt has joined relatively new Irish esports organisation Wylde as co-owner.
Wylde was founded two years ago by Steve Daly (right), a former investment banker at JP Morgan, and David Cronin (left), former president and chief exec of the American Ireland Funds and a founding shareholder of Irish technology success story Qumas.
Wylde’s headquarters is based in Dublin, Ireland, while the company has roots in the Caribbean and players in multiple teams. Click here to find the list of Twincities of best sportsbooks online.
The org currently has teams competing in Rainbow Six Siege (with predominantly German players), Valorant (all-French roster), Rocket League (UK, Ireland, Spain and Slovenia) and FIFA (Ireland). Wylde has pro players, academy athletes and content creators across 16 countries.
In a press release, the Irish organisation said that Bolt – who retired from sprinting in 2017 – will ‘support Wylde’s mission to identify, empower and support talent whilst adopting a strong commitment to diversity and inclusivity’.
The move is reminiscent of David Beckham’s involvement in UK organisation Guild Esports, which was first announced in summer 2020. In recent years, more and more sports stars have moved into esports, including Man United keeper David de Gea (with Rebels Gaming), Sergio Agüero with his own org KRÜ Esports and many more.
Usain Bolt, co-owner at Wylde, said: “It’s time for the fastest man on the planet to be a part of the fastest-growing sport in the world. With me in the Caribbean and my partners in Ireland, Wylde was born globally. I’ve been a gamer all my life, it’s a big community and it’s just getting bigger.
“I always try to put myself with great brands that are trying to go for all the big things. I feel like Wylde is going in that direction and I want to be a part of the journey. We’re building something big. I’m looking forward to being the world champions!
“Wylde is on a journey to becoming one of the biggest brands in the fastest growing sport in the world. In esports, like in track & 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.”
Wylde co-founder David Cronin added: “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.”
Wylde joins other esports organisations from Ireland including Munster Rugby Gaming, Nativz (who recently signed a deal with Umbro), Belfast Storm and more.
“I always try to put myself with great brands that are trying to go for all the big things. I feel like Wylde is going in that direction and I want to be a part of the journey. We’re building something big. I’m looking forward to being the world champions!”
Usain Bolt
In a press release, Wylde stated: “The Wylde co-founders are building a responsible esports and entertainment brand centred on a strong revenue model and pragmatic leadership to maximise return on investment. Sustainable business practices and integrity are a key part of Wylde’s offering in a high-growth industry that is evolving at pace.”
In 2021, Wylde established an academy to inspire and nurture gaming talent by organising community tournaments, providing professional coaching to young talent, and hosting a number of Wylde Bootcamps across Europe.
In partnership with its newest shareholder Usain Bolt, Wylde plans to host a Jamaican bootcamp later in 2022.
Wylde is currently engaged in sponsorship discussions with a number of global brands focused on entering the esports industry to connect with this generation.
There’s more info on Wylde on the organisation’s website
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
