Guild Esports has successfully completed its public market flotation on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), with a market cap of £41.2 million (€45.5/$52.3 million).

The London-based esports organisation, which is co-owned by football legend David Beckham and raised an initial £20m since launching in June 2020, is the first esports franchise to list on the LSE. 

According to Fieldfisher, the law firm specialising in gaming, sports and tech deal, which advised Zeus Capital and Mirabaud Securities in their capacities as joint bookrunners and brokers on Guild Esports initial public offering, we can expect to see more IPOs and buyouts of esports businesses in the near future. 

Fieldfisher corporate partner Anthony Brockbank, who led the legal team advising Zeus Capital and Mirabaud Securities, commented:

“We are excited to have been involved in the first UK-listing of an esports business and to have assisted our longstanding broker clients on delivering a highly successful IPO for Guild.

“While the Covid-19 pandemic has been a testing time for many companies, it is inspiring to see new businesses emerge from and capitalise on the changes in habits brought about by the lockdown.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests the curtailment of other leisure opportunities is driving consumers towards at-home pursuits and activities that do not involve mingling or travelling.

“We expect to see more transactions in this area as other esports companies look to follow Guild in embarking on deals to expand their activities and market share.

“The London IPO market is showing signs of heating up again and is proving attractive to new kinds of businesses like esports looking for ways to extend their reach and accelerate their growth.”

As previously reported, Guild is initially fielding teams in Rocket League, FIFA, and Fortnite, and is planning to use the proceeds from its IPO to fully establish these teams, build its brand, and expand into more titles and activities. 

AYO.NEWS says:

We absolutely agree with Fieldfisher’s take on esports. Though many observers still dismissed esports as a fringe sector, or ‘flash in the pan’ driven by hype, even into the first few months of the COVID-19 crisis, it is now clear that the crisis could drag on for many more months or even years, and that even when the pandemic has passed there will be no return to the old normal. Things have changed, and video gaming and esports are now firmly at the heart of entertainment and pop culture. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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