Esports is considered the world’s fastest-growing sport. In 2021, the global Esports market was valued at just over 1.08 billion U.S. dollars, an almost 50 percent increase from the previous year. Esports is a growing industry that offers several viable career options, even though it may not yet be common knowledge to everyone. It consists of software and hardware companies developing technologies that allow video games to be played by professional gamers, telecom companies to be able to connect people to each other via the internet and cloud hosting companies and data centers that host the servers and store all of the game and player data. This also includes graphics design companies and professional writers for stories and producers for the action scenes. It requires significant research into the “real” events that the software companies are trying to recreate. Think about Formula 1 races and car companies that determine the ‘ins and outs’ of specific cars. This industry incorporates marketing agencies to obtain the professional gamers, connect brands with Esports teams and set team sponsorship to create brand awareness. Despite its tremendous popularity and commercial support, there is still a misconception regarding this industry that playing video games is not constructive or valuable to a person’s development or career, but Esports actually presents job seekers with genuine opportunities.
Island Sportlight held an interesting and motivating interview with Jeff Macolonie and George Samander, the force behind Fuego, the first Esports organization in Curaçao and the ABC islands. They are a true example of professionals, stepping out of their comfort zone, following their passion and believing in the power of their dreams. At the age of 18, Jeff Macolonie was already a professional player of videogames. He has grown into the industry and reached the top 10 of the best players of Latin America. Because of his outstanding gaming performance, he was approached by a Mexican Esports organization and this is how his life took an interesting twist. “I wanted to do this! I wanted to stop school and make video gaming my career. After 6 months I managed to convince my parents to let me stop with school and pursue my dream. I left for Mexico and became part of Brawl Esports, a Latin American League of Legends team and after a year or so I joined Authority E-sports, which is also a Latin American League of Legends team. My life immediately changed when I arrived in Mexico. Esports is a big industry in Latin America, there were fans everywhere and we were treated like movie stars. I participated in several video game competitions and gained popularity in the industry. It is important to mention that all players of videogames and fans of the video game sector are connected through Twitch and other streaming and social media platforms. Twitch showcases all the Esports content in one place through broadcasting of live streams, so viewers can watch the biggest live Esports competitions, learn from the best players in the world, discover new Esports channels and engage with other fans. This is how I got recognized in Mexico” Jeff explains. At such a young age Jeff gained a meaningful experience, which took him to an interesting chapter as entrepreneur. “Esports are real sports and they will only grow in popularity in the years ahead. Also, the field of Esports has evolved far beyond what anyone expected. Getting into this industry is not easy. Being a pro gamer requires effort, dedication, focused practice and developing the ability to have a focused mind. It also requires a large amount of emotional awareness because the inability to manage your emotions severely interferes with a gamer’s ability to perform” he says further.
The Esports and entertainment knowledge together with the business education of George Samander and the entrepreneurship skills of both definitely made the right combination to take Fuego to the next level. “Since a very young age I was gaming as a hobby. Tennis was my favorite sport to practice, but because of an injury I had to quit and this is how I rolled into the interesting gaming industry. At the age of 12 I received my first recording device and started to create gaming videos on YouTube. My parents did not want me to pursue a career in this industry, but when I left to the United States to go to college, I kept on working on my gaming skills. I came back to Curaçao to continue my family’s legacy. In 2019 I met Jeff and I was impressed by his curriculum and achievements in the gaming industry. This is when I decided to join forces with Jeff and Fuego. We decided to take Fuego a step further and turn it into a brand that focuses on Esports, entertainment (e.g. YouTube videos) and apparel that will be coming out soon!” George explains.
As dedicated young entrepreneurs and avid gamers, the Fuego team wants to do what it takes to help change the stereotype around gamers. Just because millions of people enjoy playing games does not mean that they must live an unhealthy lifestyle. “Staying healthy is our number one priority. We push our players to live a healthy lifestyle and be active. We remind them that it is important to stay fit and healthy because it also provides in-game benefits like a better reaction time and an increased ability to focus for longer periods of time. To promote this healthy and balanced lifestyle, we are creating a lifestyle brand that incorporates both gaming and traditional leisure” George continues.
This dynamic team also wants to put Curaçao in the spotlight. Curaçao is the home of Fuego, the first Esports organization settled on the island that not only focuses on the gaming industry, but also on the guidance, well-being and growth of the gamers. “This is all possible in the Caribbean! We can proudly say we already have players from Mexico, Dominican Republic, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and the Netherlands. “When I was staying in Mexico, people were triggered to know more about Curaçao. The game publisher, Riot Games, chose to make a documentary and highlight my story. This was definitely a unique chance and a great promotion for Curaçao!” Jeff explains.
Fuego has big plans for the future. The team is focusing on growth regarding the gaming sector, social media and the entertainment industry. “There are so many opportunities on this island. First of all, we want to make a more stable connection between the ABC Islands and the Netherlands. We want to create a community on YouTube and in the Esports industry and we want Curaçao to be showcased as the island of possibilities. We are the younger generation and it is our responsibility to put our rock on the map!” George says at the end of the interview.
If you are interested in joining Fuego, make sure that you are doing what you love, you have the necessary skills and you create content that stands out from the others! The Fuego team always has their ear to the ground and they notice all these talents that are working hard to achieve their dreams in this Esports industry. Keep working hard, because more opportunities will come as that is part of Fuego’s mission.
