FanDuel duo developing new esports platform

VIDEO GAMES: Flick will be a new way for gamers to watch and share content

Two of the founders of fantasy sports company FanDuel have turned their attentions to the esports and video gaming market.

Nigel Eccles and his Dundee-born wife Lesley were co-founders of FanDuel which they helped turn into a company with a billion-dollar valuation, before leaving at the end of last year.

At the time of his departure, Mr Eccles said he was leaving to “pursue other business interests”.

Now he has revealed his latest venture with Rob Jones, another FanDuel founder.

Flick will be a new “social streaming” platform for the booming esports market.

It is estimated that more than 665 million people worldwide watch gaming video content.

This figure is predicted to continue rising thanks to the explosion of esports – organised multi-player video game competitions.

Based in Edinburgh, Flick says it will “provide a new way for gamers to share and watch gaming content with their friends”.

Mr Eccles is the company CEO with Mr Jones taking the title of chief product officer.

“Whilst the esports market is still relatively young, it is growing fast and we feel there is a huge opportunity there,” said Mr Jones.

“We know we work well together and have already proven we have the capability to build a global business from here in Scotland.

“For this new company we plan to leverage Scotland’s deep expertise in video game development.”

Flick is now recruiting for its engineering team which will be designing software for the PC and mobile gaming sector.

FanDuel was formed in Edinburgh in 2009 and has an office in Glasgow and its headquarters in New York.

Mr and Mrs Eccles stepped down from the firm a few months after the company failed to secure a merger with US rival DraftKings.

The companies, which have both run up multi-million losses, agreed to merge but the US Federal Trade Commission believed the deal would create a “nearmonopoly” in the market for prize-led daily fantasy sports contests.

Top: Nigel Eccles, the former CEO of FanDuel. Above: Rob Jones.