Mark Cuban Isn’t Investing in eSports Because of Player Burnout
Despite other NBA franchise owners buying eSports franchises left and right, Mark Cuban isn’t looking to buy into the industry just yet…well, anymore than he already has anyway.
In an email response to Fusion.net, Mark Cuban said that: “I haven’t and won’t invest in teams.”
“Right now, it’s a gold rush to buy and sell and build teams. That’s creating a confused market,” he continued. “But more importantly, I’m worried about how quickly players burn out.”
According to Cuban, the grueling practice hours and the mad rush to become the best are placing teens and early 20-something year-olds in a fast-track to retirement.
He says, “It’s a grind to keep up and to become great. Particularly at (League of Legends). I know teams are trying to do more, but the number of hours involved is a real concern for me. I’m not closing the door, but it’s not something I would pursue right now.”
But despite Cuban’s bearish approach to investing in an eSports team, the Dallas Maverick’s owner and Shark Tank investor has already invested a lot of money in the industry. In 2015, Mark Cuban joined a group of investors in a $7 million Series A funding of Unikrn, a website and platform that acts as a legal sportsbook for eSports events and matches.
That Cuban isn’t looking to buy up a team is a stark contrast to other NBA franchise owners. In the last few months, The Philadelphia 76ers bought up Dignitas. They were shortly followed by Pete Gruber and Ted Leonsis of Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards when they bought stakes in Team Liquid.
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