The Brief

The Global Esports Federation needed a strategy for North American expansion that went beyond tournaments. The opportunity was to position competitive gaming as a catalyst for economic development and placemaking — connecting esports to local creative industries, hospitality, education, and technology in ways that create lasting value for host cities, not just weekend spectacles.

The Approach

I developed an integrated commercial and impact strategy that aligned esports tours and events with city-level goals for tech, education, and creative economy development. The work had three tracks: partnership models that brought together tourism boards, local governments, hospitality groups, and real estate developers to fund and host events; hybrid event formats blending tournaments with fan festivals, youth development, and business forums; and legacy frameworks that gave host cities a path to sustained benefit through collegiate pipelines, community hubs, and youth programs. I also explored creative tech activations — immersive fan zones, digital twin venues, AI-driven engagement — to extend the live experience into virtual environments.

The Outcome

The work secured multi-year commitments from destination partners and contributed to the roadmap for integrating esports activations into major multi-sport events. More broadly, it advanced a model that positions esports not as an isolated competitive circuit but as a platform for creativity, community storytelling, and inclusive economic growth — aligned with UN SDGs and long-term destination strategy.