Usain Bolt, the new co-owner of WYLDE, wearing the team’s jersey.
WYLDE, a young esports organization founded just two years ago, has today announced it has a new co-owner: global sports star and world’s fastest man and eight-time Olympic gold medalist, Usain Bolt. While you might think his new team may be based in his home country of Jamaica–or a major nation in competitive gaming, such as the U.S. or Germany–the group is headquartered in a much more surprising place.
Based in Dublin, Ireland, WYLDE is the brainchild of former JP Morgan investment banker Steve Daly and David Cronin, a founding shareholder of Irish technology company QUMAS.
However, WYLDE–which stands for “What You Love Doing Esports”–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. Right now, WYLDE teams compete in Rainbow Six Siege, VALORANT, Rocket League, and FIFA.
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.
Bolt said: “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 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 Cronin continued: “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.
Curiously, WYLDE appears to be without headline sponsors, with team members currently sporting surprisingly brand-free jerseys. However, the business is currently in talks with a number of global brands who, like Bolt, are hoping to enter esports for the first time to explore the benefits of connecting with new opportunities.
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).
