Esports is experiencing massive growth in popularity, with recent surges bringing increased exposure to the industry and its offerings. Competitive gaming dates back over 50 years, with its origins dating back to 1972, when the first major gaming tournament was held. Around 10,000 people competed in the Space Invaders competition, and it marked the beginning of gamers’ interest in competitive game playing. Nowadays, people don’t see gaming as a hobby, but rather as a profession or even one of their side hustle ideas, due to the significant amount of money involved. Now, even celebrities are getting involved, investing their fortunes in events, whether it be teams or competitions, which is what we will be examining today.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal is known around the world for his extremely impressive basketball career, his engaging personality on TV, and his giant stature, standing at a whopping 7’1″. The former basketball player turned TV sensation is not just an athlete, but an incredibly prominent businessman, building an empire of assets in many different fields after he retired from the professional game. Esports is one of those industries the former Los Angeles Lakers icon has involved himself in. In 2016, O’Neal invested in the recently founded Esports team NRG, with a group of investors.
The team was founded in 2015, and he was inspired to get involved in the industry after attending a League of Legends tournament, experiencing the action first-hand, which brought financial stability to the team, as well as an ambassador who would publicly speak about his investment and connection to NRG. Nowadays, he still has an investment with NRG, which continues to perform in the esports scene, competing in games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Rocket League, and many more.
Will Smith and Keisuke Honda
The random pairing of Will Smith and Keisuke Honda does seem relatively peculiar; however, both investors came together in 2019 to raise an investment of around $48 million alongside other investors. Smith, the iconic musician and actor who starred in films such as Men in Black and series such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has been known to invest in various businesses and industries, with esports becoming a more popular route for investment.
Keisuke Honda, however, is a former professional footballer, most commonly known for his time at AC Milan from 2014 to 2017 and CSKA Moscow from 2010 to 2013. The pair became part of an investment scheme for the South Korean Esports team Gen G, which dominated the Asian esports scene in a variety of different games. The pair’s involvement with the highly esteemed team continues into 2025, in which Gen G are still a dominant force in the industry.
Drake
One of the biggest artists in the world today, the Canadian rapper and singer Drake, has even invested some of his fortune into the growing esports scene. Drake is a five-time Grammy winner and a well-recognised star around the world, with some incredibly popular releases, including One Dance, God’s Plan, and Nice For What. Not only is Drake’s influence massive in the music industry, but he has also featured in a few movies and even TV shows, such as Ice Age: Continental Drift, The Carter Effect, and Saturday Night Live. Drake has invested in numerous businesses across various industries, expanding his empire.
Some of the businesses Drake is involved with include OVO Records, DreamCrew Entertainment, and now 100 Thieves. The gaming organisation 100 Thieves was founded in 2017 by a former competitive gamer. A year later, Drake became one of the team’s major investors, co-owning the organisation and promoting it while providing financial stability. The investment followed Drake’s demonstrated affection for the gaming world, and as of 2025, he remains a member of the board of 100 Thieves.
David Beckham
David Beckham, often regarded as one of the greatest footballers to have played in his position, is one of England’s finest ever talents who has represented the club. He made his name with his incredible passing ability, which was exciting to watch, as well as his dribbling skills and, of course, his infamous free kicks. Beckham’s career began at the senior level with Manchester United, where he quickly became regarded as one of the world’s best players. His 19-year-long senior professional career saw the English winger represent some of the World’s top clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and PSG.
After retirement, Beckham was no stranger to investing and leveraging his image and name in other fields of work. One of these investments was in the esports industry. In 2024, David Beckham and a team of investors had produced around $24 million for the Guild Esports team, making him the co-owner of the organisation. His investment not only helped financially, but also provided a big celebrity figure that would promote their name and create interest in the competitive gaming scene. Beckahm is still involved with Guild as of 2025, as they continue to work alongside each other.
