Esports app lets you host your own video game tournaments for money

Organizers pay a $599 start-up fee (go to playoneup.com for more information). Then, they can set up tournaments on the Play One Up app. Organizers get 30% of the registration fees, while Play One Up takes 15%. The remainder goes toward the prizes for first and second place.

Play One Up hopes to give players another entry into the gig economy by hosting tournaments on the site. “Anyone who has that same fire for esports and wants to start their own tournament business can do it,” said Play One Up CEO Brandon Pitts in a statement accompanying the announcement.

“Anyone willing to get out there on Twitter and Twitch to promote their events, can make some real money at this,” Pitts said. “Players on our head-to-head platform now can take it to the next level and join brackets for bigger stakes and bragging rights.”

Play One Up CEO Brandon Pitts (Photo: Play One Up)

Global revenue for esports, which surpassed $1 billion in 2019, is forecast by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers to outpace growth in most other media and entertainment categories nearing $2.2 billion in 2024. Among the major players in esports: publishers such as Activision Blizzard, which operates an Overwatch League and Call of Duty League, while the NBA and Take-Two Interactive have an NBA 2K League.

Play One Up hopes to develop a bustling tournament community with celebrity athletes such as NBA stars Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers and Derrick Jones Jr. of the Portland Trail Blazers expected to be among early tournament hosts. 

“I can’t wait to host my own tournaments with my fans and engage with them like never before,” Jones said. “Who knows, I might find the next esports superstar to disrupt the competitive scene.”