USA Esports President Sees Olympic Recognition as “North Star”

USA Esports, a non-profit organization established in late 2025, aims to unify the fragmented North American competitive gaming landscape by prioritizing player safety, standardized competitive integrity, and eventual recognition by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The organization functions as a long-term institutional project rather than a short-term initiative, seeking to bridge the gap between professional esports organizations and collegiate programs. By establishing formal safety standards and athlete protections, the group intends to create a more structured environment for American gamers, with Olympic recognition serving as its primary long-term objective.

The organization’s leadership structure emphasizes athlete representation, with one-third of its board of directors comprised of former professional players, including notable figures such as Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg and Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert. The board also includes experts in public health, intercollegiate athletics, and esports management. To date, USA Esports has secured six-figure funding through unrestricted commitments from sponsors and donors, and it has formed an alliance with seventeen universities and eleven professional esports organizations.

While USA Esports does not position itself as a national governing body—acknowledging the complex intellectual property rights held by game publishers—it seeks to implement pilot programs that harmonize K-12 and collegiate esports systems. The organization’s methodology involves a discovery process that began in early 2025, engaging stakeholders across the North American ecosystem to address the lack of standardized safety protocols. By focusing on athlete welfare and transparent pathways, the organization aims to provide the protections and governance structures common in traditional sports, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and trusted environment for the future of American esports.