Popular American actor Michael Bakari Jordan is investing in esports.
As esports continues to rise, more and more personalities from the traditional entertainment industry are throwing their support and cash into competitive gaming. Such is the case with Jordan, who is best known for playing Killmonger in 2018 film Black Panther and starring as Donnie Creed in 2015 film Creed.
Jordan is openly a big fan of the Call of Duty franchise and sees an opportunity in investing in the formative professional league for the game.
The actor is working with Andbox, an esports organization founded by the same ownership group that runs the New York Mets. The company owns two major esports teams in the Call of Duty League’s New York Subliners and Overwatch League’s New York Excelsior.
This isn’t the first time Jordan has shown his love for gaming. The Hollywood actor doesn’t hide his love for Call of Duty and notably played a big role in the Call of Duty: Black Ops III live-action trailer alongside Marshawn Lynch and Cara Delevingne.
Jordan is jumping into the esports industry right ahead of the 2020 Call of Duty League, Activision’s franchised league for the enduring first-person shooter. The New York Subliners are one of the 12 teams that will compete in the inaugural season, which saw organizations reportedly pay $25 million or more for a franchise. The CDL includes other franchises in cities such as Paris, London, and Los Angeles.
This is Andbox’s first venture into Call of Duty esports, with its previous efforts being focused on the Overwatch team.
The Call of Duty League begins on January 24, 2020. Teams will fight for the portion of the $6 million prize pool playing the newest game of the series, Modern Warfare, on PlayStation 4.
NY Subliners 2020 roster:
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
