Esports is a hugely expanding industry and the Owls are now on the scene with the formation of our very own official Esports team!
Newly-appointed Esports Executive Rob Hawden is in the hot seat at Hillsborough, with a long-term vision to grow the brand both organically and through high profile gaming competition.
Rob joins Wednesday after a four-year stint as Esports Project Lead at Rotherham United, where he steered the Millers to a hugely impressive ranking of eighth in the world in FIFA Pro Clubs on the largest competitive gaming website, VPG (Virtual Pro Gaming).
The first game to launch in S6 will be FIFA 23 1v1 (The FIFA Global Series) and 11v11 (Pro Clubs).
Rob told swfc.co.uk: “I am really happy to be joining such a big and historic club. I am here to take SWFC to the top of the Esports ladder and become the top professional club on the Pro Clubs scene.
“Wednesday will be joining Virtual Pro Gaming to compete with other professional teams here in England and across Europe.
“It is clear to me that we can create something special at Sheffield Wednesday in the gaming world.”
Rob has also created an innovative grassroots method to identify upcoming gamers from the Sheffield area, working alongside the club’s Community Programme.
He explained: “We intend to build a sustainable infrastructure adapting our Community Programme’s core principles of health, wellbeing, inclusion and education.
Esports have arrived at Hillsborough! 🎮@SWFC_Esports are the official Esports team for the Owls! 🦉#swfc | @OfficialVPG
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) September 22, 2022
“The gaming community is vast and it’s important as a club that we instill the right values into our Esports team and the brand.
“If you are a Wednesdayite with a passion for gaming, play FIFA Pro Clubs, and interested in representing your club, we want to hear from you.
“We are looking for players to trial as the remit is to create a national and international gaming community for Wednesday fans.”
To register your interest to trial, please email: esportsenquiries@swfc.co.uk and follow the Esports team on the dedicated social media channels below:
@OfficialVPG - VPG
@SWFC_Esports - Twitter
https://www.twitch.tv/sheffieldwednesday - Twitch
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084785944452 - Facebook
We would like to wish the very best of luck to our SWFC Esports team on what is sure to be a great success!