Matt Marcou has been a trailblazer in the games industry for over 20 years (even before esports was an established word). He has worn many hats throughout his distinguished career including those of competitor, commissioner, startup founder and game producer — all with an emphasis on elevating video games to the level of professional sports. Many of Marcou's projects have become fixtures of the esports industry, including the MADDEN NFL Championship Series (EA SPORTS), where he served as commissioner, and the League of Legends World Championship (Riot Games). He is currently managing partner with Tryhard Consulting.

Through the course of his career, his products have generated thousands of hours of content viewed by an international audience of tens of millions. Marcou has managed over 100 live events from hotel ballrooms and LAN centers to U.S. sport meccas that have awarded more than $20 million in prize money and player compensation. Additionally, he has been a fierce advocate for publisher support programs for grassroots tournament organizers. Thousands of competitions, which are foundational for the growth of esports, have been supported from his efforts.