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Wichita startup wants to ‘produce next Michael Jordan’ of eSports scene

When we think of Kansas, we might not think of it as the backdrop for a highly competitive online video game tournament, and certainly not the home of the next online video gaming superstar. However, for one entrepreneur, this is the vision.

Ramsey Jamoul

Last week, Ramsey Jamoul, a WSU alumnus and CEO of Midwest eSports, was one of four startups that at presented at Demo Day on Wichita State’s campus, reports The Sun Flower. At the event, Jamoul described his startup as a “pipeline” for collegiate and amateur video game players into the world of professional eSports. “Through our competitions, we’ll provide opportunities for players, for spectators, and for communities,” states Jamoul. “We’re providing players the opportunity to compete and practice and become their very best,” he said. “[We] will produce the next Michael Jordan of eSports,” he adds, according to The Sun Flower. The young entrepreneur also stated the burgeoning world of competitive eSports has also attracted the attention of investors as well as consumers. Given the growing amount of prize money available at certain tournaments, this statement is hardly surprising. Last year the International 2016 global Dota 2 championship, which took place in Seattle raised an astonishing $20,770,460 in prize money, the Largest eSports prize pool of any tournament. While Midwest eSports might not be at the same level yet, it’s 2018 convention has an enticing $20,000 prize pool. In recent years eSports has exploded in popularity, resulting in a long list of tournaments, online communities and a prodigious amount of fans. One community which has seen a huge spike in users is Dot Esports, a leading online publication and community page covering esports and competitive gaming, that recently hit 3.1 million users in the month of November. The all-in-one competitive gaming platform has grown phenomenally since its 660,000 user count in January 2017. The site has attracted a diverse international audience with its in-depth coverage of esports, from the players, personalities, and events to the games themselves.

Kevin Morris

Dot Esports’ most popular game coverage includes League of Legends, which according to most recent figures, has an active player base of over 80 million monthly players—over 27 million players every day. Dot Esports also provides intensive coverage on Dota 2 (which recorded an average of 861,173 players last month), Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty, and several other games. “We see a healthy media sector in this space as a way to help esports expand and grow even more,” said Kevin Morris, VP of Content at GAMURS and Editor-in-Chief at Dot Esports. As the eSports community begins to grow, we are likely to see more communities galvanize in unlikely areas, bringing fresh entrepreneurial life into once overlooked locations around the country.

Techli

Edward is the founder and CEO of Techli.com. He is a writer, U.S. Army veteran, serial entrepreneur and chronic early adopter. Having worked for startups in Silicon Valley and Chicago, he founded, grew and successfully exited his own previous startup and loves telling the stories of innovators. Email: Edward.Domain@techli.com | @EdwardDomain