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The Tower Club at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will be packed wall-to-wall Saturday with video game-playing kids.
Through a partnership with PlayVS, a competitive scholastic and collegiate esports and gaming platform; the Kansas City Pioneers, a local professional esports team; and GEHA, the Chiefs hope to translate a passion for gaming into a passion for the Kingdom.
The event — dubbed Game On! — will feature Madden NFL 26, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout and Rocket League minigames and competitions.
“We also have some educational workshops where attendees can learn tricks of the trade and what it feels like and looks like to have a professional career in this space,” Chiefs Vice President of Brand Marketing and Fan Engagement Lauren Denowitz said.
Three former Chiefs — wide receivers Marc Boerigter and Gehrig Dieter, along with linebacker Dezman Moses — are scheduled to appear along with gaming influencer Jacki Jing and some Pioneers players.
“It’s kind of crazy how my worlds just collide like that,” Michael Hagedorn, a senior on the Olathe West eSports varsity team, said, “just things I've always thought separate coming together.”
Hagedorn is a big Chiefs fan, but he never imagined competing in Rocket League at Arrowhead. Neither did fellow Owls senior Kawan Da Silva.
“That's something I would not have guessed would have been happening, but I'm really happy that I get the chance to do this. ... I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited (to play at Arrowhead).”
Gamers and jocks may seem like polar opposites, but there’s actually a lot of crossover.
“A lot of traditional athletes are gamers, and a lot of gamers love traditional sports,” Sam Kulikov, the co-founder and chief marketing officer for the Pioneers, said.
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Hagedorn never misses a Chiefs game.
“I've taken off work to watch Chiefs games before,” he said, “so this is big for me.”
Kulikov said the event is a win-win for the gaming community and the Chiefs.
“This union is not about an exclusion of one or the other,” he said. “It's actually a union that is an exponential multiplier for both industries to grow together.”
The NFL, which dominates TV ratings and sports betting, is a $23 billion industry, while gaming is a $189 billion industry worldwide— one that’s particularly popular among teenagers.
“We saw that we had an opportunity within the youth segment to really engage them and meet them where they're at,” Denowitz said. “What we saw is that gaming plays a critical role in connecting with this younger generation of fans, so this is the Chiefs’ first foray into connecting with them in a way that really is meaningful and relevant to how they are living their lives.”
It probably won’t be the last.
“Gaming is actually a really awesome sandbox for organizations, like the chiefs, to showcase the brand and showcase the personality of their athletes,” Kulikov said.
Da Silva plays Super Smash Bros for Olathe West’s varsity team, which was the regional runner-up last season, while Hagedorn is a Rocket League star for the Owls.
“One day I stumbled upon a pro stream — watched it, realized this is what I want to be able to do,” Hagedorn said. “1,300 hours down the drain, here I am.”
But that’s part of the appeal. Gaming doesn’t care who is the tallest or strongest.
“If you find something you're passionate about and you're really willing to put an effort into it, I think then you can succeed,” Da Silva said. “That's one of the beautiful things about video games.”
Now, he has a chance to connect with like-minded individuals at one of the great sports palaces in middle America.
“As we continue to advance into this industry and as it matures, we realize that it's all been about community from the beginning,” Kulikov said.
Tickets for Game On! cost $10 for enthusiasts 18 years old and younger and $5 for adult chaperones, who are required for children age 12 and younger. Virtual participation is free.
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