Esports has become a revolution in the world of video gaming, and now the sport can boast a bonafide sporting legend among its acolytes.
Usain Bolt has become the co-owner of Dublin-based Esports team Wylde.
The 8-time Olympic gold medalist has joined the team at Wylde, and Bolt confirmed his gaming bona fides in a statement.
"I’ve been a gamer all my life and a proud member of the growing esports community," Bolt said.
"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 & 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," he added.
The company said Bolt "will be involved in a range of activities focused on elevating WYLDE's growing brand."
Wylde co-founder David Cronin said that the Olympian joining the company will "take the company 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," he said.
Bolt has spoken in the past about his fondness for video games, with the Jamaican star stating in a 2021 athlete that he would regularly skip training to enjoy a few games of 'Mario Kart'.
"For me, those are the things that excite me about video games. I feel like it kinda helped my hunger, I would say, to always want to win"
"I feel like in a way, video games kind of helped out with the track and field, because now, when you get on the track, you have that same mentality as when you're playing video games - you just want to win," he said last year.
Esports is among the fastest-growing spectator sports in the world, with market research indicating that the sport will attract 1 billion worldwide viewers within the next few years.
Bolt teaming up with Wylde is similar to Legion Arena and their partnership with An Post Money Mate - Bolt and An Post are two established brands lending their gravitas and weight to a burgeoning industry like Esports, and brands are quickly realising the marketing potential of Esports.
The sport will be a trial event at this years Commonwealth Games, with a view to it eventually becoming a medal event in 2026.
Wylde already sponsors teams in 'Rocket League' and 'FIFA' tournaments, and the company hope to use Bolt's star power to attract more people to the sport.
