Charlotte could be next major hub for professional esports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — City leaders and former Hornets players are trying to make Charlotte a major hub for professional esports.

Dell Curry and Mugsy Bogues joined the mayor and other city leaders at a “Call of Duty” tournament Saturday in South End.

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A councilman said the opportunity could be similar to Minor League Baseball.

“We can take something that’s single right now and take it all the way to Charlotte - a World Series kind of capability,” said Councilman Tariq Bokhari.

He said Charlotte already had a team in 2016 valued at $9.10 million, but the team was bought for twice that and then moved to Texas. He said the team is now valued at $200 million.

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Professional gamer Brandon McKinney makes his money playing the highly competitive game “Call of Duty.”

“The adrenaline is high all the time. People are playing, just trying to make this career, a lot on the line, a lot of passion,” said McKinney.

He said he’s excited about the possibility of Charlotte becoming a major player in esports.

“I definitely want to see this in arenas, whether that’s Bojangles seating 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 or Spectrum Center,” said McKinney.

The growth of the sport in Charlotte even has some other local athletes such as former Panthers player Jonathan Stewart excited.

“Things are changing with tech and the availability there with the market,” Stewart said. “If you want cash flow in your city, this is one of the ways to do it.”

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City leaders said it would be a game-changer with esports set to soon be a billion-dollar industry and with millions of fans worldwide.

“You’ve got so many factors at play right now that are almost no-brainer instigators to make Charlotte an esports destination,” said Bokhari.

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