Although he had been a gamer since he was a kid, Arda Ocal didn’t know anything about League of Legends; he hadn’t played a single minute in his entire life. However, when ESPN officials asked him if he would like to host their Digital Desk for League of Legends, he didn’t flinch. He said yes right away; he knew he’d had time to get ready for it. 

Arda Ocal is a Host and anchor at ESPN and an Adjunct Professor of the Department of Mass Communication Master’s Degree Program in Sports Broadcasting from Iona College. 

In this episode, we delve into Arda’s journey of becoming a host and anchor for ESPN and what kind of mindset helped him land his dream job. We explore different aspects of esports, its evolution through time, the possible inclusion of competitive gaming in the Olympics, and discuss who would benefit more from that. Arda also shared how he felt the first time he hosted for ESPN, how fulfilling it felt, and the firm sensation of starting a new chapter of his life. We also talk about the importance of volunteering and the right way to do it, beat the fear of failure, and much more.

Resources:

Visit Arda’s website: https://www.ardaocal.me/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ardaocaltv/

or connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arda-ocal-34a97a12a/

Full Podcast Breakdown:

1:51 – Arda talks about why LinkedIn is the best place to network, especially for gaming and esports professionals.

4:21 – Arda talks about his passion for traditional sports and how he already knew where he wanted to go with his career even before being an esports broadcaster. 

7:01 – Arda describes how he landed his first job at ESPN, even without knowing anything about League of Legends.

11:37 – The start of a new chapter. Arda described his feelings when he hosted the first time for ESPN. 

15:50 – John and Arda discuss the possibility of esports being included in the Olympics and who would benefit more from it. 

20:21 – Patience is a virtue. John and Arda talk about the past, the present, and the future of esports and its growth possibilities.

23:37 – Arda shares a funny story with the Dallas Stars mascot.

30:51 – Arda talks about the challenges he faced and overcame that helped him reach this point in his career.

35:40 – The Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting. Arda shares the perfect analogy to understand Amazon’s dominance in the gaming industry.

38:25 – The importance of setting boundaries. Arda shares some brilliant insights on volunteering the right way.

47:55 – Make the leap of faith. John and Arda talk about how all of us can create opportunities for ourselves.

54:09 – Strive to be a good human. Arda shares valuable nuggets on how to be a person people would like to work with.