Bradley Partner Troy Carnrite Quoted in Tampa Bay Business Journal on Takeaways from Esports Summit

Bradley attorney Troy Carnrite was quoted in the Tampa Bay Business Journal on his takeaways from Tampa Bay’s first Esports Summit, where esports gaming experts came together to discuss the culture, business and future of the billion-dollar industry.

"This isn’t Mario from the ’80s," Carnrite said. "I get it all the time — 'Why would you watch people play games?' Well, have you played a game recently? You're problem-solving, using analytics skills, hand-eye coordination. And these teams have a training regimen on the physical end and to stay mentally sharp. Part of the education process is showing it's not just people sitting around on the couch with Cheetos and Mountain Dew. This takes a lot of practice, focus and mental ability. If you don't get it, I challenge your intelligence because it's not that you may not get it. You don't see the value of it."

“Even though there are billions of dollars invested, it's still an emerging industry," Carnrite noted. "This is still in its infancy, even with all the money. From 2014-17, there were nine private equity deals. In 2018 alone, there were 14. So this is really starting to pick up but it's not even close to mature. It's incredibly fun to be involved with challenging industries, to see where it goes next. But this is not a mature industry, so brands and companies can still shape the way it goes."

The full article, “Opportunities, accessibility and other top takeaways from Tampa Bay's first esports summit,” first appeared in the Tampa Bay Business Journal on Sept. 23, 2019.