Considered the second biggest esports hotspot in the country, the Dallas-Fort Worth region is the perfect intersection of sports, tech, and sports business in general. Eric Griffin believes that after industry giants like OpTic Gaming, compLexity Gaming, Team Envy, and Mavs Gaming have chosen the region as headquarters, opportunities have multiplied for gamers, teams, educators, and corporations.

Eric Griffin is the Managing Director of Research and Innovation at the Dallas Regional Chamber. Eric holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Southern Methodist University, and a Master in Public Policy in Environmental Policy, and a Master of Environmental Management Resource Economics and Policy, both from Duke University. One of his jobs at the Chamber is to leverage sustainable economic development based on innovation.

In this episode, Eric kindly talked about the growth of the esports and gaming industry in Dallas and how that impacts the community financially, on an educational level, and socially. He spoke about the Chamber’s concerns about how gaming and esports can help develop young people and create career opportunities.

Dallas Regional Chamber: https://www.dallaschamber.org/

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-jerome-griffin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/docspitsfire06

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/docspitsfire06/

Dr. Marc’s Masterclass is part of the Esports Futuri Podcast Network. To see all of our shows, visit: https://EsportsFPN.com

Full Episode Breakdown:

8:39 – Dr. Marc introduces today’s guest, Eric Griffin.

10:41 – Dr. Marc and Eric talk a bit about how they met at the Esports Travel Summit.

15:20 – Eric speaks a bit about his experiences as a runner.

19:18 – Eric talks about his experiences in college and the alleged rivalry between North Dallas and Frisco people.

20:38 – Eric explains the Chamber’s position regarding innovation, economy, and development in Dallas.

22:45 – Access to the access. Eric describes the Chamber’s function in connecting people in the industry to ensure the city’s development. 

26:21 – Eric talks about his conversations with OpTic Games’ Hector Rodriguez before moving to Dallas.

31:19 – Eric speaks about Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones’ opinion about the esports and gaming industry in Dallas.

36:29 – Dr. Marc and Eric talk about the importance of keeping in mind that businesses are made of people when making big corporate decisions.

41:29 – Dr. Marc talks about the significant disconnection between high schools and universities in putting together a pathway to gaming and esports scholarships.

45:48 – Dr. Marc asks Eric about how the pandemic affected the Chamber’s projects and activities.

50:40 – Dr. Marc talks about Hector Rodriguez and how he got to know him.

54:48 – Dr. Marc speaks about his experience with GameStop.

58:59 – Eric gives his two pro networking tips.