Usain Bolt joins Irish esports organisation WYLDE as Co-owner

Irish esports organisation WYLDE has announced that global sports star and Olympic medalist Usain Bolt has joined as its Co-owner.

As part of the organisation, Bolt will support the organisation’s mission to identify, empower and support talent whilst adopting a strong commitment to diversity and inclusivity. 

Image credit: WYLDE

RELATED: Snoop Dogg joins FaZe Clan as board member and content creator

Moreover, as a co-owner and an active member of the leadership team, Bolt will be involved in a range of activities focused on elevating WYLDE’s brand.

Usain Bolt, Co-owner of WYLDE, commented: “WYLDE is on a journey to becoming one of the biggest brands in the fastest growing sport in the world. In esports, like in track and field, it’s critical to have that competitive, winning mentality.

“I look forward to working with the WYLDE leadership team to help our players to reach their potential, while also taking care of their physical and mental wellbeing.”

Based in Dublin, Ireland, WYLDE was founded two years ago by Steve Daly and David Cronin. In the past, Daly was an investment banker at JP Morgan. David Cronin was the President and Chief Executive of the American Ireland Funds and a founding shareholder of Irish tech company QUMAS.

WYLDE currently has teams competing in Rainbow Six Siege, VALORANT, Rocket League and FIFA. In 2021, WYLDE established an academy to nurture gaming talent by organising community tournaments; providing professional coaching to young talent; and hosting a number of WYLDE Bootcamps across Europe. In partnership with Bolt, WYLDE also plans to host a Jamaican bootcamp later in 2022.

David Cronin, Co-founder of WYLDE, added: “Usain coming on board takes WYLDE to the next level. With his vast competitive experience and Olympic-winning mentality, his guidance will be invaluable as we continue to build professional structures to support the development of our players.”

RELATED: Romain Grosjean joins Motorsport Games as technical advisor

According to the release, the organisation is currently engaged in sponsorship discussions with a number of global brands focused on entering the esports industry.

Esports Insider says: Recently, we’ve seen many top athletes associated with esports organisations, or even create their own. Having retired in 2017, Usain Bolt has also decided to take the next step by supporting an up and coming esports organisation. Bolt’s guidance will definitely benefit WYLDE as a brand given the athlete’s popularity. 

Sign up to our ESI Dispatch Newsletter