The Kansas City Pioneers esports team is riding a global wave that keeps growing

Graham Bowlin sensed time slowing down around him as he avoided the danger onscreen.

Traveling at hundreds of virtual miles an hour, and with a four-car-wide finish, Bowlin drew upon all the training he’d garnered since age 14 and hammered hard on the pedal.

The finish line beckoned. With a burst of speed he shot forward to clinch a spot in the Champ Four of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, held in October at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bowlin earned third place that day. Hailing from Houston, he is one of about 15 pro players who are competing for the Kansas City Pioneers in esports this year. They are believed to be the city’s first officially adopted esports team.

There’s even a Kansas City Pioneers Day — July 21.

“I was completely exhausted afterwards,” Boyd said of his eNASCAR competition. “It was a close one.”

About the KC Pioneers

The Pioneers, founded in 2019, are comprised of gaming, esports, media and marketing arms and also serve as a recruiter of talent.

Team officials said they saw a marked increase in interest during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bowlin said he wears his QuikTrip and Price Chopper logos proudly on his racing gear, signifying KC as he competes in eNASCAR, Rocket League, Apex Legends and Brawl Stars.

He and his fellow KC Pioneers also work with local boys and girls clubs, helping young minds dream beyond racing and into such personalized avenues as virtual car design, racing fashion or other aspects of esports. Bowlin, for instance, said he has a “pit crew” of some 15 teammates who are constantly striving to make his car faster.

KC Pioneers director of eNASCAR Darius Boyd notes that some iRacing drivers — William Byron, for one, and Rajah Caruth, for another — have progressed to the real-live tracks of NASCAR.

“The reason we built this organization in the Midwest is because we realized gaming was underserved in our community,” said Pioneers co-founder Sam Kulikov. “If we didn’t build the Pioneers here, in Kansas City, then the Midwest would not have the chance to participate fully in the gaming industry.”

Huge global appeal of esports

The global esports market — in which players and teams with major sponsors compete for big dollars in front of massive worldwide audiences — is projected to reach a revenue of $4.3 billion this year, according to Statista.

Statista also projects that number will grow to $5.9 billion by 2029. The U.S. alone accounts for slightly more than $1 billion of this year’s revenue projection.

Recognized by the Kansas City Area Development Council as an official Kansas City sports team, Kulikov said, the KC Pioneers are building the city’s reputation in places civic leaders likely never could’ve imagined.

A recent Rocket League tournament in Dallas, for example, drew fans from KC to the Lone Star State “to cheer on their own town, their own city,” Kulikov said.

“One of the things that make the Kansas City Pioneers so special is that we are one of the few teams that champion our city in our name,” Kulikov said. “Most teams do not have a direct tie to a city like Kansas City, and that allows us to compete in ways that many cannot — in hometown pride.”

The Pioneers generated initial capital to launch — “We started in 2019,” Kulikov said, “and to date we have raised almost $2 million in a pre-seed round” — and now plan to kick off a $3 million seed round.

Kulikov said such support is “designed to fund our vision to change the way that gamers, creators and athletes interact with fans, brands and communities. ... This year, three out of the four of our rosters all qualified for their world championships.”

The KC Pioneers’ Rocket League roster beat one of North America’s top teams — Gen G — at the Rocket League World Championship in September.

But Kulikov said competitors like Bowlin are hard to find.

“Only four drivers qualified out of 40 to go (compete in North Carolina) in person, and our driver was one of them,” Kulikov said.

The KC Pioneers are also ranked second in North America in Brawl Stars. That team qualified for the world championships in Finland.

For many, the allure of eports is undeniable. According to some estimates, there are more than 200 million gamers in America. If such figures are accurate, that’s a staggering 61% of the country’s population.

“We’re eliminating roadblocks,” Kulikov said. “It doesn’t matter what your background is, or if you’re athletic. We’re involved in a movement that includes educators, parents and a real sense of community pride.”

A model for future teams elsewhere

National esports Association president Lori Bjorek said the Pioneers’ success in Kansas City will likely encourage other municipalities to create their own squads.

“Not many realize that esports are being looked at as an Olympic sport,” Bjorek said. “Young people are earning university scholarships and there’s some great educational value in esports and video games.”

Such noted local corporations as Garmin and Cerner even have esports teams that compete in the Corporate esports Association, a group focused on raising money for various charities and team-building.

“You may remember the company softball leagues that companies used to have,” said Florian Helff, the Corporate esports Association’s CEO.

“It’s similar to that, and it’s been very effective for several Fortune 100 companies, such as Ford, for growing camaraderie. We help to dig wells, get video games to children in hospitals — the players get to choose their charity.”

As for the future of the KC Pioneers, they aim to continue nurturing their appeal to Gen Z — the world’s largest esports user group — while bringing home more coveted trophies.

“The future is here and it’s in gaming,” Kulikov said.