BY N IC HO LAS EBELHACK Photography by Adam Antor
HOW 4 PI KAPPA PHI BROTHERS ARE TURNING THEIR PASSION INTO A CAREER
ONCE CONTAINED TO SMALL CIRCLES of passionate players and hobbyists, esports has exploded into a lucrative industry, commanding audiences of millions for its most prolific competitions and inspiring the development of leagues that mimic modern athletic conferences, complete with salaried players and home-grown fan bases.
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WHETHER THEY’RE PLAYING ON the highest stage, capturing the moment behind the camera or shaping the future for the fan experience, members such as Austin Garrison, an alumnus of Theta Xi Chapter (Arizona State) and an aspiring competitor seeking entrance into the NBA 2K League, are creating a new culture surrounding video games. Garrison, relying on his discipline and selfmotivation, is one of the NBA’s flagship videogame's elite players. As one of 150 players selected from 80,000 hopefuls to enter its draft and interview with the league's affiliated teams to become a salaried player, his impression of the league's structure was similar to traditional sports. “When I played sports in school, we used
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"Sophistication" isn't the first word many would associate with video games such as Call of Duty, League of Legends and Fortnite, but as the world’s best compete for multi-million dollar prizes broadcast to audiences that rival televised sports, it describes a growing career field drawing on the creativity and leadership skills of Pi Kappa Phi’s membership.
As audiences and fan engagement continue to grow in a new era of entertainment, four Pi Kappa Phi members with a variety of backgrounds, interests and skill sets explain how they are continuing to shape the future of competitive gaming in one of the world’s fastest growing sources of entertainment. P1
to watch film three or four times a week, and even for a video game, I’ll watch film of top teams and top players to see what we need to do to implement that,” Garrison said. “It’s all about strategy, being able to be coachable and adapting.” Although Garrison wasn’t selected in the draft, it’s given him more of a reason to play harder and make an effort to promote himself as he prepares for next season, saying that he wants to explore playing for an audience on Twitch, a video game broadcasting platform, to increase his exposure. “If you have that love and passion you’ll play the game, but it’s who you network and connect with that will determine where you can take it,” Garrison said. P2 pikapp.org/news
