PlayVS Appoints Jon Chapman as New CEO

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Jon Chapman has been appointed as the new CEO of scholastic esports platform PlayVS, replacing interim CEO Joe Gibson.
02
Founder and former CEO Delane Parnell stepped down from his leadership role at PlayVS at the beginning of May 2023.
03
PlayVS has raised $106.2 million in total funding since its inception in May 2018 from a wide range of investors, including SoftBank, Sapphire Ventures, and various individual backers.
04
Chapman brings extensive experience in education and technology, having co-founded the education technology company EverFi, which was acquired for $750 million in late 2021.
05
The company operates esports tournaments across amateur, K-12, and collegiate levels throughout the United States and Canada.
06
Chapman is expected to leverage his established relationships with major organizations such as the NFL, NHL, and Electronic Arts to scale the company's operations.

Summary

PlayVS, a prominent scholastic esports platform, appointed Jon Chapman as its new chief executive officer in June 2023. This leadership transition follows the departure of founder Delane Parnell in May 2023, after which the company’s vice president of finance, Joe Gibson, served as interim CEO. The appointment signals a strategic shift toward leveraging extensive experience in the education and technology sectors to drive the company's growth.

Chapman brings a background in corporate education technology, most notably as a co-founder of EverFi, which was acquired for $750 million in 2021. While his direct experience in the esports industry is limited, he is expected to utilize his established professional relationships with major sports leagues and organizations—including the NFL, NHL, and Electronic Arts—to scale the platform’s operations. His mandate focuses on expanding the company’s footprint within the amateur, K-12, and collegiate esports ecosystems across the United States and Canada.

The company maintains a significant presence in the North American scholastic esports market, having secured $106.2 million in total funding since May 2018 from a diverse group of investors. By integrating Chapman’s background in educational services and corporate scaling, the organization aims to solidify its position as a primary infrastructure provider for competitive gaming in academic environments.