Leicester City’s Christian Fuchs became the first Premier League player to sponsor his own esports team—a FIFA 18 squad called “No Fuchs Given.” Fuchs uses the same name for his fashion and lifestyle brand.
Fuchs announced the news through an interview with the Daily Mail, indicating that he will start by entering a team in international FIFA tournaments but would consider adding teams for other esports. He is said to be a fan of Overwatch and Fortnite. The 32-year-old Austrian defender was part of Leicester’s surprise Premier League championship run two years ago.
“You can’t escape the [esports] movement,” Fuchs told the British newspaper. “It’s simply developing really fast, growing very fast and wherever you look, wherever you go, you always see esports and literally my son got me more into it because he’s watching it nonstop.”
As Liverpool CEO Peter Moore recently noted, the Premier League has stated intentions to develop its own esports league. For now, only Manchester City and West Ham United have added esports players, with Man City also recently starting a FIFA Online team in China’s Online Star League.
Aston Villa, once a Premier League mainstay, but now entering a third season in the second-tier Championship League after narrowly failing to gain promotion, just launched a new esports division, AVFC Gaming, to sponsor FIFA 18 tournaments.
SportTechie Takeaway
The influence of American owners who already own esports teams—such as Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke who co-owns the L.A. Gladiators in the Overwatch League—is making an impact in the EPL. Kroenke and fellow U.S. owners of Crystal Palace and Swansea are all reportedly considering an investment in a League of Legends team. Fuchs and his family make their offseason home in New York City, and he has indicated he may play in the States after the next season. (While, presumably that means MLS, he has indicated some serious interest in being an NFL kicker.)
Soccer players themselves will inevitably get into the act. Tottenham teammates Dele Alli and Harry Kane recently streamed a Fortnite game with Fuchs’ Leicester teammate Harry Maguire on Twitch. And Atlético Madrid star Antoine Griezmann has been incorporating Fortnite’s “take the L” dance in his goal celebrations this past season.