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The perpetually floating sports video game group Semper Fortis Esports is believed to be in advanced talks to enlist Harry Maguire of Manchester United and Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton as “ambassadors” to promote the business.
Semper Fortis Esports raised £ 2.6million on an initial public offering on the Aquis exchange last month and said it plans to partner with big-name footballers to increase the popularity and sponsorship income that backs its virtual esports soccer team.
Football industry sources said talks with Maguire are at an advanced stage and a deal may be signed in a few days. It is believed that the Calvert-Lewin negotiations were about a fortnight ago.
Sources said there was no guarantee that the deal would close.
The company has Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell as a non-executive director and is led by former Football League chairman Keith Harris.
It owns the esports team Top Blokes, which plays in the Rocket League Championship Series.
Thousands of gaming fans flock to see teams like Top Blokes in the league.
Semper Fortis bought Top Blokes last month and hopes to benefit from prize money, sponsorship and media revenue. Top Blokes consists of three players and a coach.
Other sources of income are the development of a new technology platform and the sale of business-to-business technologies in the rapidly growing esports world.
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Semper Fortis shares opened today at 3.2p, valued at £ 14 million after trading at 1p.
After the Evening Standard first revealed the possible signings earlier this morning, shares rose 10%.
The company later issued a stock market announcement confirming it was talking to “leading athletes.” It added, “The company will make appropriate and timely announcements once contracts are signed with brand ambassadors.”
This is a significant improvement over Guild Esports, the David Beckham-backed gaming company. It was trading at 8p but is only trading at 6.8p today despite a recent rally.
Many investors were stunned by the ratings of virtual sports companies, but Bushnell, a five-decade video game veteran, has predicted that youth sports will soon eclipse real sports for entertainment.
One of the Top Blokes team members is said to have been injured with a bad thumb at the moment.
