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It's GAME ON at Kearny Mesa's gaming center GameSync

Esport expert says gaming is ready to take on the NFL

SAN DIEGO — If you're looking for video game Nirvana, look no further than Kearny Mesa.  In this Zevely Zone, I revisited the GameSync Esports Center for the first time in five years.  I was met at the door by myself.  I visited the gaming center in 2015 and was shocked to find the story I did way back then playing on a continuous loop in their lobby.  "That is Jeff Zevely on CBS 8," said GameSync founder Agragati Siegel "That's you you're famous man."  I asked, "You guys aren't sick of me yet?"  Agragati responded, "You know I can't speak for anyone else but you're a hero." 

In the 2015 story I profiled Jordan N0thing Gilbert an esport professional which in 2015 was a job most people had never heard of but now, Agragati says gaming is about to take on the big boys "Next year, online gaming viewership will likely meet or surpass the NFL," he said. "Old versus new, let's go," said Jordyn Budiman as he showed me how to play Super Smash Ultimate with his Pac Man character that packed a punch. "You just killed me?" I asked. Jordyn said, "Yeah, ha, ha, ha."

Hot on the heels of the Canal Plus French TV interview last month, Jordan 'n0thing' Gilbert (one of the most well known eSports players in the Counter-Strike scene around the world) was again interviewed at GameSync Gaming, this time by CBS-8 KFMB local television news.

Unbeknownst to me, the game we were playing was being streamed across the world with broadcasters calling the action. Online streaming on platforms like Twitch are just one reason why gamers with game get paid. "What kind of money can a professional gamer make," I asked.  "We've heard of a purse last year that was a ten million dollar purse," said GameSync's Seddu Namakajo.  He is a partner in the business and says professional gamers have millions of fans and travel the planet. "Parents used to get mad at their kids for sitting in a room playing video games and now kids can be a professional athlete playing games," said Seddu.  

Here in San Diego, GameSync says five years ago after our story aired it was game on. "You were the one who kind of put us on the map as a business and not only is GameSync grateful to you but the entire San Diego gaming community is grateful to you for what you did five years ago, said Agragati.  At 45-years old, Agragati has become is sort of the Yoda of esports who says the joy from joystick keeps us young at heart.

GameSync Esports is open 16 hours a day, seven days a week. The tournament I played in had a ten-dollar buy-in and awarded cash prizes to the winners. For more information go to http://gamesync.us/

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