PlayVS: Transforming Education through Competitive Esports

Exploring the rise of Esports with PlayVS.

About the founder 👤

PlayVS was founded by Delane Parnell in 2017. Parnell is an entrepreneur and former professional esports player who recognized the potential of bringing organized competitive gaming to the high school and college level. Under his leadership, PlayVS has grown rapidly, securing partnerships with various organizations, state associations, and game publishers to establish esports as an official school sport. Parnell stepped down as CEO in May of 2023.

Discovering a golden opportunity 💡

With the rise of esports and its increasing presence in mainstream culture, Parnell recognized the need for an infrastructure that could support and nurture young talent in the competitive gaming space. By partnering with state associations and game publishers, PlayVS aimed to create a structured and inclusive environment where students could compete, improve their skills, and potentially pursue collegiate esports opportunities.

The vision behind PlayVS was to leverage the popularity of esports to foster teamwork, leadership, and personal growth among students, while also providing them with a pathway to showcase their talents and potentially secure scholarships for higher education. The idea was to create a platform that would integrate esports seamlessly into the existing educational framework, recognizing it as a legitimate and valuable extracurricular activity.

Welcome to PlayVS 🏪

PlayVS is a company that operates an esports platform for high school and college students. It offers a comprehensive platform that handles league organization, scheduling, score tracking, and player eligibility verification. It also provides a structured competitive environment where students can compete against other schools in popular esports titles like League of Legends, Rocket League, and Fortnite.

The platform is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing school sports programs, allowing students to represent their schools and compete in esports alongside traditional sports like football or basketball. PlayVS helps facilitate the growth of esports as an officially recognized and supported activity within educational institutions.

How profitable is PlayVS 💵 ?

The profitability of PlayVS can depend on various factors, such as revenue streams, operational costs, partnerships, and market demand for their services. They generate revenue through partnerships with state associations, schools, and game publishers, as well as through subscription fees and sponsorship arrangements. The company's ability to attract and retain schools and students as users, while continuing to expand their offerings and reach, will play a role in their long-term profitability.

What is the growth potential of this business 🌎?

PlayVS has a simple goal when it comes to growth, to offer Esports in every highschool and college in America. Despite the growing popularity of esports, there is still a significant untapped market in high schools and colleges. PlayVS is at the forefront of bringing esports to these educational institutions, making it well-positioned to capture a large portion of this untapped market.

Where are they in the funding process💱?

PlayVS has raised $106.2 million so far with their latest round being a series C in 2020. Their lead investors include Open Opportunity Fund and New Enterprise Associates. PlayVS is now valued at $400 million.

🐦 @PlayVS