“I believe eSports are meant for everybody. No student should be prohibited from competing, and that’s exactly what putting a price on competition does.”
BOCA RATON, Fla. (PRWEB) September 12, 2019
Jordan Zietz, a 17-year-old entrepreneur and founder of the All-Star eSportsTM League, has just closed his first round of funding. The genesis of All-Star was based on Zietz’s personal experience in trying to access an eSports league for him and his classmates at his high school. In evaluating potential options he quickly came to the realization that current leagues cost anywhere from several hundred to a few thousand dollars annually, something he believed most students and schools were not willing to pay. After validating his hypothesis with gaming enthusiasts nationwide, All-Star was born.
“I believe eSports are meant for everybody. No student should be prohibited from competing, and that’s exactly what putting a price on competition does,” says Zietz. “That’s why I founded the All-Star eSports League; students should be able to compete for real prizes, without having to pay entry fees. That is what sets us apart.”
What started as an endeavor to grow eSports participation amongst his classmates has exploded, grabbing the attention of students across the US. Since its launch in April 2019, All-Star eSports League now represents the largest eSports league in history with over 5,000 registered high school teams. Importantly, the unprecedented growth experienced by All-Star has not only been recognized by the gaming community but also by investors. After meeting with several interested groups, Zietz secured a seven-figure investment from one of Seattle’s leading tech investors for a partial stake in the company. Eric Bensussen, President of PowerA and an accredited technology/eSports investor is excited to be partnering with Zietz:
“I’ve always been passionate about sports and gaming, but I’m glad to be partnering with Jordan because he takes this same passion to the next level. He genuinely cares about what he’s doing, and I think it has constant positive spillover into the company’s success.”
Zietz plans on utilizing the new round of investment to help publicize the availability of the league and expand participation amongst students nationwide. The funds will also be used to augment All-Star eSports League’s already sizable prize pool. With over $1,000,000 in scholarships, computer and gaming equipment, and other rewards, the league has also set a record for the largest prize pool in the history of high school eSports. Zietz believes the funding will help him reach his initial goal of registering 20,000 schools for the 2019 season, which will only serve to accelerate the prize pool’s growth.
“It’s fantastic being the largest eSports league, but it also presents a significant challenge to maintain our successful growth. Right now, all of the money is reinvested back into the company to help us provide unmatched prizing and scholarships for our students. With such explosive growth and participation, I really think our students should expect and deserve some of the most competitive prizes out there. More importantly, I just feel grateful to be in this position. To be able to recognize the top players for their talent, and at no cost to them, is incredibly rewarding.”
As the league’s story continues to be written, it is certainly worth following to see where things head.