Smash.gg raises $11M for eSports event platform

The eSports-facing platform Smash.gg has raised $11 million from the likes of Spark Capital, Accel, and Horizon Ventures in a recently concluded round of Series A funding.

The platform aims to draw more players and viewers into the eSports scene by making tournament organization less of a daunting task and lower the barrier of entry for those looking to become professional eSports contenders.

Currently, Smash.gg supports as many as 2,000 events a month for games like Street Fighter V, Marvel vs Capcom, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros by handling payments, fundraising, and other organizational tasks.

“eSports shares almost nothing in common with [professional sports], there are dozens of games, each rising and falling every year, and each sport can have multiple leagues, with players switching teams at whim,” said Spark Capital partner Nabell Hyatt. “It’s a different ecosystem, more like a network than a media property. And we are excited to be partnering with Smash.gg to continue building the network-enabling infrastructure for eSports.”