Team Liquid has expanded its ownership group to include five of their pros and content creators. This includes Melee God Juan "Hungrybox" DeBiedma.
Team Liquid's leaders were the ones who personally selected the new members allowed to invest and acquire shares in the prominent esports organization. Hungrybox was joined by Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro EliGE, WNBA star Aerial Powers, poker streamer Alexander "Lex" Veldhuis, and actor Asa Butterfield.
Forbes valued Team LIquid at $310 million last year. The organization has successful teams in almost every major esports title. Hungrybox joined Team Liquid when he was a college student back in 2015. He was chosen because he has a close alignment with Team Liquid's identity and philosophy.
"They also have the resources to invest, from a financial perspective," CEO Steve Arhancet added about the selected members, noting that the chosen investors had to have a certain amount of money or income to qualify.
Hungrybox and the other members were purposefully chosen. Unlike other recent examples of players and streamers getting shares as part of a contract negotiation, Hungrybox was "awarded" equity.
Added Arhancet: “I think it speaks volumes to their own decision-making and degree of confidence.”
Hungrybox used to work in engineering but he quit his job to become a full-time Super Smash Bros. Melee competitor in 2016. Since then, Hungrybox has become one of the best Melee players in the world, earning him the title of "Melee God," which is a group of five top players. His accomplishments have also earned him equity in Team Liquid.
Said Hungrybox: “I used to work in engineering, and those companies would offer chances for employees to help their retirement, things like 401ks and all that. Well, Liquid being an esports org, they were offering something a lot more unique.”
While Hungrybox will continue to compete and make content, Team Liquid can now go to him and the other members for feedback on big decisions made in the company. It's like joining a "consultative team," according to Arhancet.
