After major soccer clubs such as West Ham, FC Schalke 04 and Valencia CF delved into esports with investments and teams, it was only a matter of time before a European giant like Manchester United would follow suit. The English organization is in talks to buy a professional Overwatch team, according to an eSports News UK report.
Manchester United reportedly in talks to buy an esports team
Will Man U. be the latest major soccer club to invest in esports?
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Overwatch is a recently released first-person shooter game from Blizzard, the developer of titles like Starcraft, Warcraft and Hearthstone. While the game has seen extraordinary popularity since its release in late May, the game’s future in esports is as of now uncertain.
The eSports News UK report says Manchester United is bidding for the team with Fnatic, one of the biggest esports brands in Europe. The report says Fnatic is the world’s most valuable esports organization, valuing at $42.5 million, while Manchester United is valued at a staggering $3.3 billion.
An organization like Manchester United entering esports can help further legitimize and stabilize the industry, as Splyce League of Legends coach Jakob “YamatoCannon” Mebdi told The Rift Herald after Schalke 04’s investment.
I used to play soccer myself, so I follow the big coaches in the soccer world. In my case, it was José Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. With that in mind, I used to joke with my friends like, "Someday, I'm going to coach Real Madrid esports." [laughs]
Suddenly, when Schalke comes in, that idea doesn't seem too impossible anymore. I think it's definitely a big step forward. Schalke is a big team. I think they're the fourth best team in the Bundesliga. I think that means a lot.
And since some Overwatch players already figured out you can turn the game into badminton, maybe Manchester United can get two teams in one!
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