1. Tell Us About Yourself and Your Current Role
My name is Grant Paranjape and I am the Director of Esports Business and Team Operations for Monumental Sports and Entertainment. I direct strategy and business initiatives for MSE’s esports endeavors, including launching the NBA 2K League team, Wizards District Gaming.
I joined MSE in August of 2017 after spending a year and half with Splyce, an endemic esports organization. Prior to joining Splyce, I completed both my B.S. and MBA at Tulane University. Esports has always been a passion, from the early years of playing competitive World of Warcraft to sneaking in a game of League of Legends between classes. It has now come full circle and I’m fortunate enough to work in an industry I love with some incredible mentors.
2. Where do you see yourself in 15 years/dream job?
While no one knows what the future might hold, I’m confident I’ll continue working in the esports industry. I see myself helping to build multiple franchises across a variety of titles and contributing to the formation of numerous esports leagues. Additionally, I hope to have mentored and continue to be mentoring generations of young esports executives.
3. Who is your mentor at this point?
While I have had many mentors, Zach Leonsis stands out as one who has had a recent impact on my career. Zach has guided me through the transition from the startup world to working with a larger and more established organization such as MSE. From answering late night questions to championing esports across multiple departments and even going so far as to playing NBA 2K in a weekly content series, Zach has gone above and beyond as both a leader and a mentor. He is someone who has established a respected career at a young age, something I hope to achieve in my own career.
4. What’s one thing you’ve learned early in your career that you didn’t know until you started working in the industry?
Working in a space as new as esports, I’ve learned that there isn’t always someone who knows the answer. Often, we create as we go, and while not everything works out successfully the first time, there is always a lesson to be learned. Taking these lessons and applying them to future opportunities is something that I believe has made me successful thus far and is something I hope to continue utilizing during my career.
5. What does winning the Rising 25 Award mean to you?
While I’m still early on in my time with MSE, winning the Rising 25 Award helps to cement the work and contributions I’ve made to the esports space thus far. It also helps to validate the place of esports within the overall sports landscape and helps give me the motivation to continue expanding the boundaries of the industry. I’ve very honored and excited to have been chosen for this award and hope the next to come is the inaugural championship trophy for NBA 2K League.
