Forget the New York Excelsior, the New York Subliners or the Madison Square Garden-owned team, CLG. If it’s up to G2 Esports’ founder Carlos “Ocelote” Rodríguez Santiago, it’s his team that will sound synonymous with New York City. In a recent piece published by ESPN, the Spaniard shared more about his plans to conquer The Big Apple.
Backed by a $10,000,000 USD investment from Joseph Tsai, co-founder of webshop giant, Alibaba, G2 will try and establish their name in the United States, after becoming one of the most well-known esports brands in Europe. To ESPN, Ocelote said: “No team seems to be capitalizing on how great this city is. Even CLG, who got bought by the Madison Square Garden guys, they aren’t using it. I don’t think they can use it. I don’t think they’re neither equipped nor have the ambition required to take over New York. So I will.”
G2 already has a hub located in New York: their Rocket League team’s gaming house is located there. G2 has been a household name in the Rocket League scene since early on, making it the perfect way into New Yorker’s hearts. The Rocket League team is the only American roster G2 has though, as their Counter-Strike, Apex Legends, League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege and Hearthstone squads are all comprised of Europeans. Ocelote’s mission is a brave one, but with G2 at the top of Europe, it wouldn’t be a surprise if New York will fly the G2 flag too in a few years.
