Travis Gafford
Esports Journalist
Yahoo! Sports
Los Angeles, CA USA
“When I was in college, this job didn’t even exist; I had to create it. So know that your dream job isn’t always what you think it is.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationTravis Gafford
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
He was always interested in PC gaming; during college, Starcraft 2 was released and became an esport.
He would stay up late into the night to watch competitions broadcast from Korea, but he never dreamed he could be a part of that scene.
After he graduated, he wanted to work for a gaming company in Los Angeles, but at the end of the interview process, he was denied the job.
While he was still in a slump after losing out on that job, he mentioned to a peer that he was jealous of his job playing competitive esports.
The peer suggested that even if he couldn’t become a professional player, he should use his communications degree to interview esports players.
He started his own amateur podcast and YouTube channel focused on esports, and League of Legends, specifically.
At the time, he was one of the only people producing League of Legends content, so when CBS decided they wanted to cover the sport, he was the go-to guy.
Says that in retrospect, losing out on that first job was actually one of the best things that could’ve ever happened to him.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Esports Journalist
I create content around esports athletes, often in the form of video interviews or features.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Journalism
Sports
Communicating / Sharing Stories
Day to Day
I travel all over North America, Europe, and Asia covering the up-and-coming competitive video game industry by producing videos, conducting interviews, hosting shows, and writing articles.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
Just start making and creating something. Don't spend too much time thinking about if you should, just do it!
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I'm really jealous these people get to play games for a living. I wish I could do something in esports! "
Challenges I Overcame
First-Generation College Student
Didn't Get Hired
Interviewed By
Being You
Making learning differences your strength
