LTA
LEC
LCK
LPL
LCPLearn more
Events & Standings
Whalen Rozelle Named Head of Global Esports Operations
-
Riot Games today announced the promotion of Whalen Rozelle to Head of Global Esports Operations. The promotion elevates Rozelle, currently serving as Senior Director of Global Esports and Global Head of VALORANT Esports, into a new position created by Riot Games Global Head of Esports John Needham.
Rozelle now will be responsible for providing management, guidance, and mentorship to a diverse global team, creating and implementing new approaches that work toward creating sustainable business practices across each of Riot’s esport product lines LoL Esports, VALORANT esports, Wild Rift Esports, and Organized Play (TFT, LoR and other games). The role is designed to provide high-level management oversight and strategic acumen to regional leagues and personnel for the first time ever in Riot Games history.
“Whalen’s track record leading esports at Riot Games is unmatched, and in this new and expanded role, he will bring all of his experience to help our esports evolve and increase their impact,” said Needham. “Whalen joined Riot at a time when esports was primarily an idea, and he helped build LoL Esports into the world’s leading esport. When we asked him to take on a second challenge with VALORANT esports, he embraced it and the VALORANT Champions Tour was born and is flourishing beyond our expectations. We expect even more from him in the years ahead as he shapes our strategy and operations across numerous Riot esports properties and geographies.”
Over the past year, Riot has continued to expand its impact within the esports industry. Legacy title League of Legends Esports continues its reign as the world’s most-watched esport in its 11th season, with the recently completed Worlds another unequivocal success. VALORANT Esports has enjoyed a banner inaugural season, with the two international Masters events posting some of the highest average minute audience (AMA) among FPS broadcasts this year.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the impact Riot Games has had in elevating esports into the burgeoning industry that it is today, and I’m thankful for the opportunity over the past nine years to contribute to that growth,” said Rozelle. “There is so much about our community that I love, and that’s what keeps me inspired every day to build the best experience for both our players and fans. I’ve seen first hand the growth, change, and potential that we’ve just begun to scratch the surface at within esports. Bringing joy to a highly engaged global fanbase with a collaborative ‘one team’ operating approach across all of our titles will enable us to continue to push the boundaries of sports and entertainment.”
As Riot continues to expand its footprint in the esports industry, the need for a more unified approach across the global operations of all its esports brands is essential to ensure fans receive the highest quality across all of Riot’s esports product touchpoints. Rozelle will be charged with implementing this strategy across all global regions and territories, ensuring each sport is properly resourced to operate at its highest level in areas such as competitive operations, broadcast, fan engagement, and financial sustainability.
Rozelle will maintain his role overseeing VALORANT Esports until a new global head is identified, a process that he will oversee alongside Needham.
Experience and Accolades
------------------------
A 2005 graduate of Stanford University, Rozelle holds a B.A. in Economics and East Asian studies. Prior to channeling his love of gaming into an award-winning career at Riot, Rozelle worked in the finance sector for Goldman Sachs, Cornerstone Research, and Google. When Rozelle joined Riot in 2012, he wasted no time in becoming a driving force in the legitimization and professionalization of esports, creating a sustainable ecosystem for the industry to grow and thrive.
LoL Esports reached many of its most important milestones under Rozelle’s leadership, including the transition from a relegation system into sports’ current franchise model. Rozelle was the visionary and architect behind this change as it allowed larger sponsors to join the system and, more importantly, to better protect the athletes. The system attracted various major ownership groups representing legendary sports brands like the Golden State Warriors, Houston Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks, as well as athletes themselves including former Los Angeles Lakers champion Rick Fox and NBA legend Michael Jordan, a Team Liquid investor.
Additionally, viewership of the League of Legends World Championship has crested 1 billion hours viewed globally, in part due to the combination of cutting-edge technology and world-class entertainment showcased during the Worlds Final Opening Ceremonies.
While serving as the co-head of LoL Esports, he kept his focus on enhancing the game experience for all players, working alongside the League of Legends game development team to enhance fan and gameplay experiences. One example of this is the creation and implementation of purchasable team-based aesthetic content which is now available to the millions of League of Legends players worldwide.
Rozelle brought his same winning strategy to his leadership of VALORANT Esports, catapulting it to the fastest growing esport in the world. His innovative vision centered around hyperserving the competitive tactical shooter audience through collaborative, community-first initiatives like watch parties that enhance the viewing experience, alongside culturally relevant partnership activations. Additionally, Rozelle championed the Game Changers program that works to ensure the VALORANT Esports community creates and supports additional competitive opportunities for women and other marginalized genders to compete at a high level.
As a relative of former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle (1960-1989), Whalen has been surrounded by sports his entire life. His career accomplishments have resulted in numerous accolades including being named as one of Sports Business Journal’s 50 Most Influential People in Sports Business in 2017, sharing the honor with former colleague Jarred Kennedy. SBJ later named Whalen to its Forty Under 40 Class of 2019.
