Philadelphia has Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park and Wells Fargo Center.
Now add Nerd Street Gamers to the list. The company has raised $12 million in funding from Philadelphia discount retailer Five Below and others to build esports facilities that house leagues, training camps, tournaments, and showcases.
Other investors include Comcast, SeventySix Capital, Elevate Capital and angel investor George Miller. An article in the October 11 issue of Venture Beat called the agreement another example of an investment boom for eSports. Professional teams as well as amateur eSports players can use these centers. Amateurs can rent the spaces when needed.
Five Below and Nerd Street Gamers will build 3,000-square-foot spaces connected to select Five Below locations, beginning with a multi-store pilot in 2020. Based on the pilot results, the companies will determine future plans, which could include 70 or more locations over the next several years.
“This round of funding led by Five Below and the opportunity of locations connected to Five Below stores empowers our vision of a world where esports is accessible and inclusive for everyone,” John Fazio, CEO of Nerd Street Gamers, said in a statement. “Too few have access to the type of equipment and internet connections required to compete at the top levels, and by addressing that at a national scale we can increase real-life opportunities for millions of people.”
Partnering with one of the fastest growing and most successful retailers takes the mission another closer to reality, Fazio added.
Five Below, which has 850 stores in 36 states in the U.S., called the deal a unique opportunity to engage with a growing community of gamers across the country. “Gaming is a trend our younger customers are actively enjoying, and working with Nerd Street Gamers will help us to provide an exciting gaming experience while also showcasing our extreme value technology-related products and accessories,” said Joel Anderson, CEO of Five Below.
In addition to the connection to the retail chain stores, Nerd Street Gamers hopes to build 50 larger regional and university-based facilities. Last month, the company opened a 32,000-square-feet location in Huntington Beach, another in the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, and announced plans to add a locale at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.
