League Business: Set a path to getting involved in eSports eSports Central

So you want to work in eSports or at least you are thinking about what it would be like? Good, this article is for you then. We will talk about what it takes to pave a path for your eSports career.

Everyone starts out as a volunteer in eSports. So you have to be able and willing to pay your dues before ever starting in this field. Don't expect to get rich off of eSports any time soon. However, do expect to feel a sense of accomplishment and a whole lot of camaraderie amongst everyone in the scene.


Do you know what your skills are? Do you know what you can bring to the table of an eSports organization? If so, great! You are a step ahead. If not, let's figure it out

Maybe you are really good at organization? If so, you could work for tournaments or could help manage player schedules and practices. Organizational skills are in high demand, especially in the League of Legends scene or any team game for that matter. You need to be able to manage not only players but also personalities...and yes, sometimes divas.

Are you good at digital marketing? Do you have an eye for design that can catch people's attention? If so, organizations in eSports are on the constant lookout for people that can promote their organization in order to drive more revenue or just to get fans - from which you can eventually gain revenue. Organizations are especially looking for someone that knows how to use social media, and knows how to get their players using it. Social media is actually one of the things that League of Legends pros are great at using but not all of them are.

Are you a great writer, actually scratch that, are you a decent writer? If so, pretty much every eSports organization can use you right now. Organizations are looking for anyone that can get people to their website and content is one of the best ways.

Shaun Delaney, also known as FourCourtJester, tells us how he figured out his skills that has made him a sought after content creator:




Before you ever get involved figure out what is your goal. Some people just want to volunteer for a team and not go anywhere in the organization. That is fine, organizations can use all the help they can get. However, if you truly want to make an impact in eSports, you won't be able to do it from the volunteer level (despite what people may tell you).

A friend of mine, Jacqueline Geller, is one of the best at setting a goal and following up on it. Her goal last year was to find a full-time job in eSports because that was her passion. For the past year, she had writing gigs with ESFI World, Complexity, and various other organizations that honed her skills and kept her networking within the industry. Last week her goal was met as she announced her position with Blizzard Entertainment as their eSports Network Coordinator.

If you set a goal, it becomes easier to see the path it takes to get to that goal.

Let's look at some goals you could have:

You become a volunteer player manager for an start-up team. You could stick with that team and hope they become big and set goals to accomplish that. You could also look to impress outside organizations that might be looking for a player manager that they will pay. Which eventually could turn into even bigger roles. Truth be told, the position could not even exist yet because we are still an infant industry with very little in terms of structure. As we see more structure, we will see more stable positions. However, writing down where you want to be is the most important part. Saying to someone - "I want to be the player manager for a top tier team in League of Legends in 1 year!" - would be the first big step in defining your goals.

Always dream big but clear a path to reach those dreams!


The most important thing about getting into any profession is networking. My college professor in Sport Business would always say, "It is who you know that gets the job but it is what you know that keeps it." The statement couldn't be truer, especially in eSports.

It really is easy! Start talking to people! Personally, I am not good at any game, I have never been a top player. The only thing I have going for me is that I am not afraid to talk to people. However, it hasn't been just about knowing people for me, I also have skills that I can bring to the table that other people can't and I'm sure the same can be said for you. Everyone is unique, everyone brings something different to the table but first they need to know who you are.

Take for example this story:


Gnomesayin is now known as a very good manager. She was able to use her network to get into the field but is now a staple of the mTw organization because of her skills.

So don't be shy! Start leaving comments in strategic places, email people, work your way into Skype chats. Just take the initiative and people will start to notice you.


Sure, it is who you know that gets you the job. However, it doesn't end there, in fact, it is just beginning. To stay relevant in eSports you have to be a hard worker which shouldn't be difficult because you are doing something you are passionate about.


What should you expect once you get into eSports? Little sleep. Very little sleep. You will find me slaving away at my computer at all hours. The Champions is going on at 3:30 in the morning my time, I'll be at the computer writing down notes for my recap. I may have woke up super early or stayed up all night. Expect those type of experiences, but chances are, you are already staying up to watch that type of content.

Another thing to expect is to not be able to play as much as you use to. Personally, I don't get to play much at all but that is probably due to poor time management.

If you are a writer or caster, you are expected to know about everything going on because it as depth to your content. Knowing what happened last week in the TSM NA Invitational can add a lot to your content this week. The problem is, you are only one person, and it takes a lot of time to be that knowledgeable.

If you are on the business side, you will be writing marketing decks and constantly networking with people that can take the organization farther. Networking doesn't stop when you get the job. Networking never stops.

If you are a team manager, you are organizing your team, managing their schedules, signing them up for tournaments and scrimmages, and making sure they handle the media aspects involved. A team manager is constantly busy.

However, with all that said, when something comes together it is the best experience in the world. When you write that article that gets thousands of views, you feel like you truly accomplished something great. When you sign that first sponsor, you feel on top of the world. You can't ask for more, when all the work that you put into managing the team pays off after they win their first major tournament. Those are the experiences you are shooting for, those are what you want in this endeavor. You don't get a job in eSports for the money (absolutely not), you don't get a job in eSports for the fame (really there isn't any fame). You get a job in eSports because you love what you do, you are passionate about the scene, and you want to change the industry for the better.

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