NFL draft at Lambeau showcases esports’ growth in Wisconsin, globally
While NFL draft picks dreamed of future championships, high school senior Joey Diiorio was winning one upstairs in Lambeau Field.
While future NFLers heard their names called from the Draft Theater stage, Joey Diiorio cemented his own championship six stories up inside Lambeau Field.
Diiorio, a high school senior from New Hampshire, on April 26 won the Madden NFL Youth Championship before an audience of local kids from Special Olympics Wisconsin and northeastern Wisconsin Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters. Like any eSports championship, shoutcaster Adam Thornton provided commentary for the crowd. Organized by PlayVS (spoken as “play versus”) and the NFL, the event drew a surprise visit from Packers CEO Mark Murphy while Packers tackle Rasheed Walker presented Diiorio with the championship trophy and signed autographs for the kids.
Diiorio defeated Chaz McCray, a freshman from Atlanta, in an intense, best-of-three Madden NFL 25 showdown that included all the drama you’d expect in an NFL game. There were fumbles and interceptions, clock-eating drives, two-minute drills, surprise plays, two-point attempts and tactical shifts in play selection.
The big difference? Pro football teams have whole coaching staffs to choose plays and implement in-game adjustments based on their their opponents’ moves. McCray and Diiorio also scan through offensive play calls and defensive schemes in seconds, but they do so entirely on their own.
McCray, playing as the Kansas City Chiefs, won the first game handily before Diiorio, playing as the Baltimore Ravens, eked out a 21-20 win in game two, which was decided on a missed field goal. McCray kept the final match close with a late, blocked field goal with 25 seconds left that shocked both players and the audience. But McCray could not capitalize on the chance to re-take the lead and Diiorio took the title with a 19-13 win.
From Madden to Rocket League, esports has become a multibillion dollar business
Esports continue to grow in popularity each year. Global revenues are expected to approach $5 billion in 2025, and it’s expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead, according to Statista. For comparison, the NFL reported about $23 billion in revenues in its 2024 fiscal year.
It’s not hard to see why it’s expected to grow rapidly when more than 60% of Americans play video games, and 70-80% of younger generations report playing video games for at least one hour per week, the Entertainment Software Association reported in 2024. Respondents said video games provide joy, mental stimulation, relieve stress, improve cognitive skills and bring different types of people together.
Appleton’s Landon Kirkland, 11, started playing Minecraft, but has since found Madden and Fortnite. He likes Madden’s graphics and the fun challenges that he can try over and over again, but is used to playing on a PC, not a PlayStation.
“My dad likes more challenging games like me. My mom doesn’t get it, but they both do a great job trying to listen and understand it,” Kirkland said.
It’s not just sports titles like Madden, either. PlayVS offers high school leagues and tournaments for titles like Rocket League, League of Legends and Super Smash Bros., too. Aaron Kelley, a spokesperson for PlayVS, said esports appeals to a wide range of young people, from high school football players to hardcore gamers. And the activity can also connect them with a variety of career paths, whether it’s as a player, a shoutcaster calling matches, or the more technical aspects of streaming events.
“A lot of these kids don’t do other extracurriculars. It’s their first chance to play for their school,” Kelley said. He later added that esports can often bring teenagers together who might not otherwise hang out.
Diiorio said he was shocked when McCray blocked his late-game field goal attempt to stay alive and offered McCray a shoutout after the event ended.
“Chaz is a freshman in high school. He has a big future in Madden. I’m a senior. I don’t have too much more time playing Madden, Chaz will be great, I promise y’all,” Diiorio said before thanking his parents for their support.
Special opportunity at Lambeau Field for a ‘shoutcaster’ originally from the Green Bay area
The April 26 showdown in the Lambeau Field club level was particularly special for Thornton.
Thornton has been a shoutcaster for 10 years now, but grew up in De Pere before moving to Minnesota. A shoutcaster, for those like this reporter who didn’t know, announces matches, provides color commentary and hypes up the crowd.
Thornton said he wasn’t a popular kid growing up, but found solace, friends and his passion in video games. Now, to be back at Lambeau Field, to have the Packers and NFL recognize how huge esports is, he said brought everything full circle.
“To come back and do something with Lambeau Field, the NFL, the Boys & Girls Clubs and Special Olympics Wisconsin is pretty cool,” Thornton said. “This is a global phenomenon. It’s not going away.”
When he got the chance to interview Mark Murphy for a moment before handing the mic off to the surprise guest, it just added to the moment.
“It goes to show you how much he cares, it shows how much he’s dedicated to it,” Thornton said.
Waupun coach talks benefits to students in short- and long-term
More than 500 high schools and more than 5,200 students play Madden NFL on PlayVS’s platforms. Across all games, PlayVS now has 5,000 schools and 150,000 students compete in eSports on PlayVS platforms, Kelley said. In Wisconsin, more than 100 school districts have joined the Wisconsin High School Esports Association.
PlayVS often helps schools like Waupun Junior/Senior High School get the consoles, equipment and support they need to start a team.
Pat Bennett, Waupun’s eSports coach and a lifelong gamer, said about 25 students joined the team in its second season, which ended in April. Besides the students loving the chance to compete, he said the program introduces students long-term opportunities like broadcasting, graphic design, match-day management and social media marketing.
“It’s a billion-dollar business,” Bennett said, adding eSports could one day grow bigger than the music or movie industries.
(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)
Contact business reporter Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.
