17 May Beckham-backed Guild Esports launches the Guild Academy
Guild Esports, a UK-based organisation co-owned by David Beckham, has launched the Guild Academy, a new online esports training subscription service.
The Guild Academy will be open to players aged 11+, with members gaining access to training programmes, tournaments, gameplay analysis from Guild ‘experts’, as well as peer-to-peer coaching and advice.
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According to the release, the academy programmes will provide ‘individualised support and personalised challenge’ to players of any ability. Guild also cited that the platform is the first step in creating an ‘esports talent pipeline based on the traditional sporting model’.
The academy’s launch will include programmes for both Fortnite and Rocket League, with more titles, such as FIFA and VALORANT, expected to be introduced at a later date. New players will be able to sign up to a 30-day free trial, after which time access to the Guild Academy will be priced at £4.99 per month.
Carleton Curtis, Executive Chairman at Guild Esports, commented: “Over the last year, people have recognised us for building some of the most talented rosters in esports. The Guild Academy represents our vision for the future. The academy will contain the most comprehensive training platform in esports, with individualised support and tailored training programmes provided to develop the esports stars of tomorrow.
“Ingrained in all aspects of the academy will be our culture of excellence, and our priority is nurturing aspiring gamers to develop in all areas of their life. We’re thrilled to launch, and help to push the industry forward.”
As part of its path-to-pro system, certain Guild Academy players will also be able to access the organisation’s physical academy to receive in-person opportunities. Moreover, these players will be offered chances to participate in bootcamps and local area LAN tournaments.
Alongside its esports training regimes, the Guild Academy will also include a ‘Parents Centre’ which is designed to educate individuals about esports and careers within the sector. All players aged 8-15 will require parental approval in order to join the online academy.
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In addition, the esports organisation will work alongside its official academy partner Subway to develop a ‘fully integrated programme’ which is expected to provide opportunities and education to Guild Academy’s members.
Joe Sutton, Director of Academy at Guild Esports, added: “We’re very proud to have created such a special and unique academy. The level of training and development resources we have on offer to players of all abilities, is what sets the Guild Academy apart.
“We’ll be working to provide each player with the tools to reach their gaming potential, whilst also setting them up with life skills for the future. This is just the beginning, and we’re excited for the future of the academy.”
Since the org’s launch and the involvement of David Beckham in June 2020, Guild Esports has secured partnerships with Hyper X and Subway, raised over £40m, strengthened its backroom staff, and expanded into other esports titles.
Esports Insider says: With the launch of Guild Academy, the organisation is looking to the future, and the platform’s premise sounds incredibly appealing. However, with a paid monthly subscription attached expectations will be high and the execution will need to be of a consistently high level.
As with most projects of this scale, only time will tell as to whether the academy proves to be beneficial and commercially viable for Guild, and moreover how such an academy product fits into esports more broadly. Either way, it’s a positive sign to see Guild committing to the academy angle, which is positioned as a core pillar of the brand.
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