Cincinnati is joining the world of esports. Earlier this month, local marketing firm Game Day Communications launched Cincinnati Fear, the city’s first professional team for competitive video gaming, and is now recruiting new members.
The idea for the team began in 2020 when Game Day started hosting virtual tournaments for the game Rocket League, drawing 30 to 40 participating teams each weekend. Jackie Reau, the company’s CEO, says she also saw students’ interest in esports when she would refer to the industry while teaching classes at Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati.
«I’ve seen how the students are really interested in esports. So, I started thinking about how we could marshal this interest and excitement around esports into a new esports brand, and that is Cincinnati Fear,» she said.
Esports is a global $1 billion industry and Newzoo estimates it will generate over $1.3 billion this year. Cincinnati Fear is the first esports team in Cincinnati and one of just a handful of city-wide esports teams, Reau said. It will include both competitive and casual gamers, students and people who want to learn more about the industry. So far, over 300 people have signed up.
«This is potentially Cincinnati’s fourth professional sports team,» Reau said.
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Cincinnati Fear athletes will also have opportunities to partner with brands and compete in regional and national tournaments, many of which have cash prizes. The team will start with Rocket League competitions and host an in-person tournament this fall. From there, they’ll expand into other competitive games, such as League of Legends and Super Smash Bros.
«We are modeling [Cincinnati Fear] after the top [esports] teams in the world,» Reau explained. «With some of these teams, their earnings are in the tens of millions of dollars every year. So, we have lofty goals.»
Cincinnati Fear will also partner with local charities and host donation-raising video game streams. The streams will be similar to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Play Live program, which has raised over $10 million, according to the hospital’s website.
«Cincinnati is such a charitable city, and what we want to do is build the next generation of philanthropists with esports,» she added.
Now through May 15, Cincinnati Fear will give away a Secret Labs gaming chair to one lucky winner. Sign up for the raffle at gleam.io/ykcA0/cincinnati-fear-secret-labs-chair-giveaway and find out more about the team on their website fearcincinnati.com/.
