Charles Conroy has a storied esports history, starting out as a player, then moving to a manager. When the team was ended and eventually re-purchased, he was brought back to help run the team and help build Complexity Gaming. Eventually that same team was sold to Dallas Cowboys’ owner, Jerry Jones.
Charles shares his stories of what it was like to build a team with little money, and how it all changed. He also discusses how companies can utilize their sponsorship dollars in the gaming world to see the massive results they dream of, but it’s so much more than putting some money in and hoping for a 3x return!
To learn more about Charles:
Visit: https://www.theswitch.tv/
Companies mentioned:
Visit: https://complexity.gg/
To follow John on Twitter: https://twitter.com/J0hnDavids0n
Full Episode Breakdown:
1:36 – What The Switch is, who their competitors are, and how they got involved with esports.
4:50 – Charles’ history in esports, and how he started as a player.
8:00 – When the league went away, Charles tells the story of how his friend bought it back, and how things came to life again. Plus the great story of how he eventually ended up helping to negotiate a sale to Jerry Jones.
12:10 – The mix of esports and traditional sports, and how the Cowboys have done it well.
16:49 – The struggle of getting traditional sports and gaming to mesh, and which games seem to do better with engaging the traditional sports community.
19:16 – Some of Charles most memorable moments as a player, and what getting his first esports check was like.
22:04 – The influence money has when training and building a team, and can it be done on a budget?
25:01 – Why some esports teams owners are missing the mark when it comes to running the team, and what some are doing well.
27:00 – When it comes to his career, Charles shares the moments that ended up really shaping him.
29:32 – How Charles’ parents supported him in the beginning of his career, and how a trip to a tournament in Paris made them believers.
35:14 – What was the US esports world like before it truly took off, 13 years ago.
41:33 – What is Intel doing well when it comes to sponsorship, in addition to other brands.
44:35 – One of the biggest issues in esports, tracking ROI, and what’s being done to overcome that.
46:10 – How sponsors need to approach sponsorship. They shouldn’t be going in with a million, hoping for $3 million out.
48:45 – Why the esports community needs to be welcoming and allow people in for continued growth.
52:07 – How brands can do real life brand integration, and why they should focus on gaming vs. esports.
53:00 – What do companies need to keep their eyes on for the future of esports and gaming?
This episode was super cool, amazing insight from an esports vet. Cool to hear about the transaction of complexity with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.
What an amazing show and story. I learned a lot about marketing, Nike’s missteps with Skateboarders, Charles Conroy’s story was great. Overall, just an awesome show.