A conversation with PlayVS founder & CEO, Delane Parnell

Tell us a bit about how you got started working with Science.

I was lucky enough to attend a #CultureHouse brunch event at SXSW 2017, and that’s where I met Peter Pham from Science. We started talking high-level about high school esports, and I flew from Detroit to LA after the conference to talk with his team about it more in-depth. PlayVS was founded, and the rest is history.

What are you trying to do with PlayVS? How has it evolved from when you got started? Walk us through the evolution of your product and the opportunities you see.

PlayVS started as a creative and productive after-school outlet for kids, like it was for me growing up. Once the idea started expanding, so did the mission. We realized that esports could be more accessible, affordable and inclusive than traditional sports and still encourage the same values like teamwork and critical thinking skills. We realized there was an opportunity to fill unclaimed college scholarships and create a path for careers in esports, and that’s what we hope PlayVS can do.

What unique insight about how the esports gaming as an industry is evolving is PlayVS predicated on?

The esports industry has incredible job opportunities, but no concrete way to source talent and interest. There are over 250 colleges and universities that offer esports scholarships — PlayVS is creating a scalable program and platform to help fill those scholarships and create the pipeline to turn a hobby into a career.

What role do you see PlayVS playing in the rapidly growing esports landscape in the long run?

We hope PlayVS can be the official high school esports league. Esports can be an option for kids that don’t have the physical capability to play traditional sports or can’t afford to — we want every student to have the ability to be part of something bigger than themselves. The PlayVS platform also holds stats and rankings for all players and can also be a tool for college recruiters to find students with both the interest and talent.

What commonalities do you see in terms of challenges and opportunities in esports adoption when you talk to high schools around the country?

It’s hard for some to put aside the traditional notion of what constitutes a sport, and a lot of schools have a hard time supporting kids sitting in front of a screen for extended periods of time. What we’re trying to do is provide affordable access to a different type of sport — one that kids can take all the way to the career level like soccer or basketball. It’s about being part of a team, making friends and having something to look forward to after the school day ends.

What are some things in this space that you think are overhyped right now?

I think there’s a myth out there that esports athletes don’t train or that physical performance doesn’t matter, and that’s just not true. It’s important for any competitive athlete to be in great physical condition. Every major professional esports team has dieticians, nutritional chefs, and ergonomics professionals on contract to maintain peak physical health of their athletes. Teams also have trainers, weekly workout regimens, and focus on mental health by practicing yoga and working on stress management to keep players calm on game day.

What are some emerging behaviors or trends that you are excited about in esports?

A really cool trend in the industry right now is the intersection of music and esports. We have investors including Diddy and Nas and Future’s manager Anthony Saleh, but other artists like J. Lo and Imagine Dragons are also getting involved. I think there’s so much potential for live performances at competitions or music deals with gaming partners.

How has being in LA meaningfully influenced your work?

Being in LA has been incredible and has opened so many doors for myself and PlayVS, with a bunch of game publishers headquartered here and Riot just down the street from us. It’s a great environment to be surrounded by other esports companies to make connections and to be located where so many events and conferences take place. Of course, the best part is being in the Science building, where we have unfettered access to our investors.