GF Issue 54

5minuteswith... BRANDON PARKER The NFL star and investor on how his passion for gaming has resulted in an exciting partnership with Valhallan Esports randon Parker is an offensive lineman who plays with NFL team Las Vegas Raiders. Awarded the MEAC Offensive Lineman Of The Year for three consecutive seasons during his college career, Parker was drafted by the Raiders in 2018 on a B four-year $4.09 million contract and has re-signed with the team every year since then. After taking a bit of time out with injury last year, he was signed back onto the active roster in December. In addition to his NFL career, Parker is also a keen investor who is passionate about uplifting his local community. He most recently partnered with a Las Vegas-based investment group to bring 16 new Valhallan Esports franchises to the Las Vegas and North Carolina areas, where he currently lives with his wife and their two children. Valhallen has 41 more locations in the pipeline, including expansion into the UK with master franchisee duo Dr Amit Sra and Vivek Behl. An avid gamer himself, Parker has taken on the role of chief gaming office, an ambassadorial position that perfectly combines his sporting fame with a genuine passion for Valhallan and its mission. What attracted you to invest in Valhallan and what specific factors did you take in account when considering it as an investment opportunity? I’m a big gamer. I grew up gaming with friends and taking part in tournaments. You name it, I’ve done it. So, when I went to check out Valhallan with Morris Jackson, CEO of our investment group ESA Holdings LLC, and saw the kids having a blast, gaming and strategizing – well, I knew right then I wanted to be part of it. A lot of sportspeople go into restaurant or clothing franchises, but I’ve never been the most fashionable guy and I’m not the best cook. So, when the opportunity presented itself to take on my first love – gaming – monetize it, and become a franchise owner, it felt like destiny, you know? My parents would say it’s only right that all that time I wasted [gaming] went towards something positive, so making gaming my business just made sense. One thing about the gaming industry is it’s been here a long time. It’s continuing to evolve and it’s not going anywhere. We investigated logistics, projections, profits and sustainability and all the boxes were checked. We just needed to put out a good product that people bought into. To what extent are you involved in the running of the business? Due to the demands of my career with the Raiders, my role with Valhallan as chief gaming officer is mainly an ambassadorial one. I’m a father of two and a husband so my gaming time is minimalized, “Building a healthy, supportive team is always going to help you in business” INTERVI EW 80 GLOBAL FRANCHISE | ISSUE 8.2