Training for an Esports Future

Today’s guests are Nik Turner - consultant and lecturer in Esports & Education at Queen Mary’s College in the UK – and the founders of CTRL Esports: COO George Lewin, CMO Harry Lunn, CDO Ben Gregg, and CEO William Holman.

In this podcast discussion, Nik Turner, a consultant and lecturer in Esports & Education, along with members of the CTRL Esports team, delve into various aspects of esports education and industry development. They highlight the success of Queen Mary's College (QMC) in Basingstoke, where an esports program was initiated, attracting significant interest and enrollment. The qualification offered is not solely focused on gaming skills, but rather emphasizes industry knowledge, employment opportunities, and business aspects, such as shoutcasting, coaching, nutrition, and strategies. The team members from CTRL share their personal experiences in pursuing esports education and their aspirations for future careers in the industry.

The discussion touches upon the formation of the CTRL team and the qualities they seek when selecting team members, including passion, dedication, and a willingness to learn. They emphasize that exceptional gaming skills are not the sole determining factor. CTRL's focus currently lies on competitive play in games like Valorant and Rocket League, which align with the team's interests and aim to compete at the highest level. They also act as consultants for Guild eSports, and their expertise has garnered recognition and opportunities within the industry.

The conversation also explores the significance of sponsorship, merchandising, and networking in the esports industry. The team members discuss the importance of a well-developed brand, showcasing analytics and presenting comprehensive sponsorship plans to potential partners. They highlight the role of social media in building connections and emphasize the value of open conversations and networking.

Looking ahead to the future of esports, the participants express optimism about the industry's growth. They foresee an increase in job opportunities, the entry of big businesses, and a greater mainstream presence. However, they acknowledge the need for further monetization and collaboration with governing bodies to establish fair play and elevate the industry's financial potential. They draw parallels to the development of traditional sports, emphasizing that it takes time to reach the desired level of recognition and stability.

Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/training-for-an-esports-future

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Featured in this episode:

Nik Turner:

Nik is the founder and managing director of Ntesports Ltd.  A consultancy agency specializing in esports and education. Nik has over 20 years’ experience as a business owner who started out in radio broadcasting before switching to esports and education. Ntesports also sponsors CTRL esports!

Email: nik@ntesports.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nik-turner/

Website: https://ntesports.uk/

George Lewin, COO of CTRL Esports

I am a 17-year-old hardworking, eloquent person with an open mentality who is always on time. With these, I can contribute value wherever I work. I am a motivated, ambitious individual who approaches every assignment with maturity and responsibility. When it's needed, I can contribute, and when I need to lead a team, I can do it passionately and successfully. As a result of all of this I have managed to start up my own company CTRL Esports alongside some peers of mine whilst remaining in full-time education. I have also worked at one of the top esport teams within the UK "Guild" as a consultant helping where needed. Additionally, I have managed to retain top grades at college achieving a D* D* D.

Email: georgemluk@gmail.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgemlewin/

Website: https://www.thectrlesports.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/georgemluk

Discord: https://discord.gg/2VZanaCnCk

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/georgemluk

Ben Gregg

Ben Gregg is an 18-year-old who currently studies the esports BTEC at Queen Mary's College in Basingstoke. Alongside his three friends they have started their own esports company 'CTRL Esports' which has been rapidly growing since November 2021. In addition to this Ben has gained experience at Guild Esports PLC one of the leading esports organisations in the UK, as a consultant.

Email: ben05gregg@gmail.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-gregg-7658b122b/

Website: https://www.thectrlesports.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Asteriix

Discord: https://discord.gg/ybkStr5WdK

Harry Lunn

Director at CTRL Esports. Consultant for Guild Academy. Studying L3 Esports BTEC at Queen Mary's College

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-lunn-963719230/

Website: https://www.thectrlesports.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KizuriEU

Will Holman

CEO of CTRL Esports and Consultant at Guild Esports Academy // 18 years old and currently studying Esports at Queen Mary’s College.

Highly motivated self-starter with several years of professional experience in the Esports industry, both as a former semi-professional player and as a manager. Founder and Director of CTRL Esports Ltd at the age of 18. Consultant for David Beckham’s team, Guild Esports. Keen to grow my network and connect with more advocates for fresh, innovative technological industries and entertainment.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-holman-3b0918230/

Website: https://www.thectrlesports.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CTRLQ1ll

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PRODUCTION:

Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/

Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.

This is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of esports entrepreneurs and others to learn how they solved a particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.

In Season Three our theme is “Building a Business: Esports 101”.

I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?

Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!