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Kevin Durant is doubling down on New York-based teams, this time with an esports investment.
The Brooklyn Nets star’s Thirty Five Ventures is investing in Andbox, an esports organization and team operator. Andbox has franchises in “Call of Duty” and “Overwatch” leagues, and sponsors other teams and players.
Thirty Five Ventures, which Durant co-founded in 2016 with investor Rich Kleinman, has invested in startups involved in athlete performance, cannabis, trading cards, financial literacy, and more. It will partner with Andbox on new content and merchandise.
“The passion that New York sports fans have has really hit home with me,” said Durant. “Andbox is bringing that same energy to esports here, and that’s something Thirty Five Ventures is very excited to be a part of.”
This isn’t Durant’s first esports investment. In 2018, he joined Odell Beckham Jr. and the St. Louis Cardinals in buying into Vision Esports, an esports investment fund, as part of a $38 million capital raise.
Esports have attracted a slew of high-profile investors, including Michael Jordan, Shaq, A-Rod, Steve Young, Steph Curry, Mike Tyson, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Andbox counts actor Michael B. Jordan, former Turner president David Levy, Warby Parker CEO Neil Blumenthal, GIPHY COO Adam Leibsohn, and Dapper Labs CEO Roham Gharegozlou among its supporters.
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