Guild to build men's CS team with funding from national federation

British esports organization Guild announced through a press release yesterday that they were entering men's Counter-Strike with the upcoming arrival of Counter-Strike 2. The organization already has a women's team which competes in ESL's Impact League.

As part of the entrance into Counter-Strike, the organization cited that funding for the team has come from "multiple sources" as well as a "national esports federation" which was not named at the time. Esports Insider reached out to Guild regarding the unnamed national esports federation, but Guild said that they "could not disclose any further information about the nature or source of the funding."

In a statement, Jasmine Skee, CEO of Guild Esports, said:

Counter-Strike is an iconic esport, with an immense fanbase and more than ten years after launching it continues to grow in popularity. Our entry into the men's competitions, underscored by the impending launch of Counter-Strike 2, aligns perfectly with our vision to consistently elevate our brand's presence on a global scale. Following the outstanding reception to our all-female Counter-Strike team earlier this year, we're eager to further tap into this burgeoning market, seizing the myriad of sponsorship and revenue opportunities it presents.

Guild went on to say that the approaching launch of Counter-Strike 2 has "reinvigorated community interest" in the game and the esports ecosystem. Additionally, they note Valve's recent decision to remove franchised leagues which "significantly reduce the entry costs" for organizations wishing to enter into the title.