Team Rogue. (Courtesy of Rogue/ReKTGlobal)
Global esports organization Rogue has received a $10.8 million Series A investment led by music and entertainment company Gross Labs. Esports venture firm ReKTGlobal, which is Rogue’s parent company, announced the fundraising round in a press release on Wednesday.
Additional investors in the Series A include Rogue co-owner and music producer Steve Aoki, members of rock band Imagine Dragons and their manager Mac Reynolds, Live Nation, Maverick Management partner Larry Rudolph, 1916 Management founder Jonny Gordon, and Ozone Entertainment founder Bret Disend. The money will be used to fund Rogue’s franchise entry into the inaugural League of Legends European Championship, which begins this weekend. Funding will also be used to expand Rogue’s global esports presence.
“Nick Gross and the investors selected for this round bring incredible expertise and connections in the entertainment world that will help fuel Rogue’s international growth as a pro gaming powerhouse with esports superstars, celebrity supporters and a rabid fan base,” said Amish Shah, ReKTGlobal co-founder, in the press release.
ReKTGlobal acquired majority ownership of Rogue from Aoki in December 2017. Nick Gross, founder of Gross Labs, was an early investor in Rogue alongside Aoki. Gross also founded Find Your Grind, an educational organization that helps kids pursue less traditional career paths. This past September, Find Your Grind co-founded the Junior Rogue Program to educate young Fortnite players about how to pursue a career in professional gaming. The program offers Fortnite training and brand-building opportunities to students up to 18 years old.
“We’ve believed in the vision of ReKTGlobal’s co-founders Amish Shah and Dave Bialek from the beginning,” Gross said. “By partnering with ReKTGlobal, Find Your Grind was able to bring esports curriculum to high schools across the United States and award $450K in annual scholarships to students interested in exploring esports as a possible life path.
“I’m passionate about this space, and it’s exciting to take my involvement with ReKTGlobal to the next level by joining the board, bringing our Find Your Grind and Junior Rogue programs to Europe, and expanding Rogue esports around the world.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Rogue is a Las Vegas-based organization with a satellite office in Berlin. The team’s entrance into the LEC emphasizes how international esports is. Rogue’s roster of professional gamers are involved in the the Rogue Junior Program to personally help train amateur gamers into reaching the professional level. Other organizations aiming to educate and train young gamers include The Game Gym, and Mamba Sports Academy, where former NBA star Kobe Bryant recently added an esports training facility.
