Former Professional Footballer Nicklas Bendtner Enters Esports Arena with Acquisition of Team Singularity
In a significant move that bridges the worlds of traditional sports and esports, former professional soccer player Nicklas Bendtner has acquired 100% ownership of Danish esports organization Team Singularity. The former Arsenal and Wolfsburg striker announced his retirement from football three years ago and has since directed his focus towards the burgeoning esports industry.
Dipping into esports during the global COVID-19 pandemic, Bendtner began playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) and even owned a small CSGO team, Prosapia Esport. Additionally, he showcased his gaming skills in a showmatch at the Blast Premier Fall Finals in Copenhagen in November 2022, playing for Team Denmark.
Building on this passion for gaming, Bendtner has established Legendary Gaming Group, an investment and management company dedicated to revolutionizing the esports landscape. The group's ventures include investments in New Breed Agency, Legendary Arena, and an as-yet-unnamed esports and gaming brand. Bendtner expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “I am really pleased with the team we have assembled at Legendary and look forward to being part of something bigger in an industry I am fascinated by.”
Former Team Singularity founder Atle Stehouwer has joined Bendtner at Legendary Gaming Group. Stehouwer, who has been on the lookout for opportunities in the market and potential partnerships for the past two years, expressed his excitement about the new direction. “For the past two years, after being passive in Team Singularity’s operations, I've been in talks with numerous potential partners about various opportunities in the market and potentially starting something new. I'm thrilled and honored to have found a proper home for Team Singularity under the Legendary Gaming Group wings and to have been able to bring a strong ownership group together to form the foundation of Legendary Gaming Group,” Stehouwer remarked.
Alongside Stehouwer, the Legendary Gaming Group boasts respected names in the esports world such as Tricked Esport founder Morten Jensen, Stephen Shine, and Jonas Rosbech. Tricked Esport, which unfortunately closed down last year, was a familiar name in the UK/Nordics League of Legends NLC, much like Team Singularity.
Team Singularity has a rich history in the esports scene. Originating in the early days of UK League of Legends, Singularity was a part of the old ESL UK Premiership, dating back to as early as 2017. The team has teased an exciting announcement scheduled for August 1st, 2024, signaling more developments on the horizon.
Bendtner's venture into esports is set to infuse new energy and ambition into Team Singularity. The Legendary Gaming Group has committed to creating "cutting-edge gaming experiences, elite talent development, and thrilling events," promising a fresh chapter for Singularity. The involvement of high-profile figures in Legendary Gaming Group reflects Bendtner's vision of harnessing top talent and industry expertise to elevate esports to new heights.
As Bendtner steps into his active role within the company, he acknowledges the uncertainty about the specifics of his title, hinting at future additions to the group's roster of sports profiles. “My own role in the company will be an active one, but what the exact title will be is not 100% decided yet, as it also depends on what roles the other sports profiles coming in will have,” he shared.
Bendtner's remarkable career in football, highlighted by his record-setting fastest goal scored by a substitute in Premier League history, now transitions into an exciting new field. His legacy as a footballer known for his larger-than-life persona, including a playful stint as "Lord Bendtner" thanks to a Danish celebrity tabloid, finds a new avenue in esports.
With the esports industry continuing to expand, Bendtner’s move signifies a noteworthy trend of traditional athletes crossing over into gaming. His latest venture reinforces the interconnectedness of sports and esports, promising dynamic developments and thrilling prospects for fans and players alike.