*By Brandon Brathwaite* PlayVS, a start-up created to build an infrastructure for high school esports, has announced a new Series B funding round of $30.5 million on Tuesday morning. The new infusion of capital was led by Elysian Park Ventures, a firm that operates on behalf of the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group. The new funding will also bring in new investments from Adidas, Samsung NEXT, and Plexo Capital. Angel investors include: Sean “Diddy” Combs, David Drummond (an early employee at Google ($GOOGL) and now SVP of corporate development at Alphabet), Rahul Mehta (Partner at DST Global), Rich Dennis (Founder of Shea Moisture), Michael Dubin (Founder and CEO of Dollar Shave Club), Nat Turner (Founder and CEO of Flatiron Health), and Johnny Hou (Founder and CEO of NZXT). New Enterprise Associates, Science Inc., Crosscut Ventures, Coatue Management and WndrCo will also continue their investment in PlayVS. The funding comes after PlayVS secured $15 million in Series A funding last June. In a press release, Tucker Kain, CFO of the LA Dodgers and Managing Partner of Elysian Park Venture said of the latest: “With PlayVS, we have found a model that works, built on a powerful platform that delivers an unparalleled player experience and will have a profound impact on the future of youth sports across the country.” In addition to the $30 million, PlayVS will launch new game partnerships with Psyonix and Hi-Rez Studios, publishers of “Rocket League” and “SMITE,” respectively. The two new game titles will be joining Riot Games’ “League of Legends.” PlayVS will now be expanding its platform from its initial five early-access states of Connecticut (CIAC), Georgia (GHSA and GISA), Kentucky (KHSAA), Massachusetts (MIAA) and Rhode Island (RIIL) to include high schools within Alabama (AHSAA), Mississippi (MISSHSAA), and parts of Texas (TCSAAL). Club Leagues will also be launched in five new states – Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Club Leagues will have full access to the PlayVS platform and have a similar season structure. “We're honored to have the support of the LA Dodgers, which has one of the best ownership groups in major league sports and are one of the earliest investors in esports. They collectively share our vision for what the future athlete looks like,” PlayVS Founder and CEO Delane Parnell said in a statement. “One of the reasons we're most excited about esports is accessibility. With this new round of funding and the addition of Rocket League and SMITE, we're able to take another huge step forward as we open the pathway for more students to compete and be recognized in the burgeoning esports industry.” The inaugural season of PlayVs will begin in February of 2019.

Share:
More In Sports
Golden State Warriors Join Forces With Google for Cloud Tech
The star-studded Golden State Warriors is adding another flashy name to its team: Google. The NBA defending champions and the Chase Center just formed a new partnership with Google Cloud to create a high-tech sports and entertainment area. The Warriors' Chief Revenue Officer Brandon Schneider joined Cheddar to discuss the partnership.
ASUS USA CMO Wants to Make Gaming More Inclusive for Women
About half of U.S. gamers are women, but you wouldn't necessarily know it by looking at hardware design. Vivian Lien, chief marketing officer at ASUS North America, joined Cheddar Friday to discuss how her company is trying to make gaming more welcoming for women.
LeTigress Previews Spellbreak, Spills Secrets
The battle royale, "last man standing" phenomenon has all but engulfed the video game industry. Though whether you prefer realistic bullet drop, zombies, or even trampolines, the premise still involves cutting down your competition with conventional weaponry like swords and firearms. Spell Break IS one of these games, but what if you'd prefer to incinerate your enemies with a fireball? Or choke them to death with a cloud of poison?
Forget Tom Brady: Bud Light, Mr. Peanut, Verizon Win Big During the Super Bowl
Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman might be the MVP of the Super Bowl, but the #MVP award for Super Bowl brands goes to Planters' Mr. Peanut. Mr. Peanut won Twitter's #BrandBowl contest for generating the most brand-related tweets during the Big Game. "They ran a really smart sweepstakes on Twitter and were giving things away during the game," Ryan Oliver, Twitter head of brand strategy, told Cheddar on Monday.
Social Media Carries Bud Light to Top Spot on Salesforce's List of Most Buzzy Super Bowl Ads
Bud Light topped Salesforce's list of most buzzed-about brands during the Super Bowl, followed closely by Pepsi, Budweiser, Doritos, and Avocados from Mexico. Rob Begg, Salesforce's vice president of product marketing, said what set those brands apart was their active engagement on social media. "One of the things we did see with brands over the Super Bowl were the ones who had the highest mentions and the biggest buzz were the ones that sort of carried the advertising conversation online,” he told Cheddar.
Load More