January 29 – Sports activities funding agency Apex has invested within the quickly rising six-a-side Ballers League,
alongside a roster of its soccer stars – together with Diogo Dalot, Diogo Jota, Mason Mount, José Fonte, André Silva, and Ferdi Kadıoğlu – who’re taking part financially within the league.
The group took half in a €23 million Collection A funding spherical led by EQT Ventures, fueling the league’s formidable growth plans.
Following a profitable debut season in Germany, the place it averaged over 3 million viewers per matchday on Twitch, Ballers League is ready to launch new competitions within the UK and U.S. in 2025, with the UK league kicking off by the tip of the quarter.
In a bid to additional have interaction its digitally native viewers, the league has additionally introduced YouTube stars KSI and IShowSpeed as league presidents for the UK and U.S. markets, respectively, leveraging their huge followings to drive curiosity and progress.
“This marks one other vital step for APEX, proving that we will entry the perfect funding alternatives within the business of sports activities”, stated António Caçorino, CEO of APEX.
“We attended a few reside Baller League video games in Germany final 12 months. We’re assured will probably be a global success, and excited to affix the undertaking at such an early stage.”
Apex is an funding firm that invests alongside elite athletes within the sports activities, media, and leisure sectors with a concentrate on companies that deliver change to the best way sports activities and media are consumed, skilled, and took part in. So far, they’ve closed greater than 18 offers and partnered with 100+ athletes throughout a number of sports activities, together with F1, Method E, Premier League, LaLiga, PGA, WSL, Boxing, Rugby Union, NFL, and NBA.
Apex investments embrace a stake in Venezia FC and vital investments in Alpine F1 Group and the Bay Golf Membership, one of many six franchises competing within the PGA-backed TGL golf league.
Felix Starck, founder and Baller League CEO, stated: “Closing a funding spherical with such strategic capital is at all times a proud second for a founder. APEX understands the idea and tradition in Baller’s DNA, bringing invaluable expertise from investing in different rising properties. Moreover, their capability to contain skilled athletes as traders provides a novel layer of assist.”
The Ballers League positions itself as a direct rival to Gerard Piqué’s 7-a-side Kings League, which has been a significant success within the small-sided soccer scene. Whereas the Kings League has secured over 20 media companions and main sponsors for its newest Kings World Cup of Nations match – signalling its ambition to maneuver past social media and set up itself as a standalone model – the Ballers League is taking a special strategy.
Piqué’s competitors has leaned on star energy, bringing again retired icons like Francesco Totti and Kaká to drive curiosity. In distinction, the Ballers League is concentrating on a youthful, digitally native viewers by leveraging Twitch and enlisting web celebrities akin to KSI and iShowSpeed – figures with huge on-line followings however little direct connection to skilled soccer – to gasoline its progress.
Portuguese and Liverpool striker Diogo Jota stated: “Baller League has numerous crossover with the world of Esports and streaming, ideas I perceive nicely. The twitch numbers achieved in Germany of their first season are a powerful indicator of the success Baller can have within the UK and US markets.”
Mason Mount, England and Manchester United, echoed Jota: “Baller League brings soccer along with social media influencers who’ve large followings. It’s an effective way to make the sport extra accessible and attain much more followers.”
Contact the author of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1738163854labto1738163854ofdlr1738163854owedi1738163854sni@g1738163854niwe.1738163854yrrah1738163854