About Us

MLG Anakin(Brandon Darby)

15+ years in competitive gaming, event operations, creator programs and partnerships.

Welcome. I'm Brandon, a creator-focused esports professional with 15+ years in competitive gaming and the past five years building out some of the most exciting tournament ecosystems in the world.

I have been on every side of an event. I have competed at a high level on real fields and in competitive gaming. I have officiated. I have managed teams, captained them, and worked the tech table. I have also run the entire thing from the top, including the Axie Infinity World Championships at AxieCon 2022, $1 million USD in prize pools.

That is the reason this platform covers what it covers. An organizer needs a schedule that fits the fields and the daylight they actually have. A manager needs to know when their team plays next without phoning anyone. A captain needs a roster and a rule they can point at. The tech table needs scores going in and standings coming out. And nobody thinks about entry fees, deposits or prize money until the numbers do not add up, which is always the week of the event.

So Esports Authority does all of it - scheduling, seeding, umpires, rosters, budgets, prize pools, live scoring and everything in between - because I have needed every one of those things myself, standing on a field with a clipboard, wishing something like this existed.

Gamer Name
MLG Anakin
Location
Vancouver, Canada
Years in Elite Sports and Gaming
15+
Years in Project Management
10+
Events I've Played in
250+
Event Projects Managed
100+
Total Prize Pools
~$2 Million+
5 Star Professional Reviews
50+
Brandon with a team between matches at a LAN eventBrandon working event operations on a pitch, headset onBrandon outside The Gaming StadiumBrandon competing in an MLGANAKIN team jerseyBrandon at the rinkA softball team with their medals after a tournament
Companies I've Worked With

Trusted by teams across gaming and Sports

Riot Games
VALORANT
FACEIT
Avalanche
Solana
+ more
On The Ground

IRL Project Manager - Events Completed

What People Say

Professional Recommendations

Andrew Campbell

Andrew Campbell

Axie Infinity, AxieCon 2022

Brandon was instrumental to the execution of the esports operations at AxieCon 2022 in Barcelona. He designed a complex system of qualifiers that allowed us to run a robust and dynamic tournament with an exciting in-person final event. He has developed a surgical, masterful skill set in tournament creation, operations and management, to a level I've not seen before.

Greg Laird

Greg Laird

LinkedIn

Brandon is an incredibly hard worker and a self-starter. He easily gains mastery of complex operations and event execution strategies, all while working within a cutting-edge technology system that doesn't quite have the edges polished. He is also a team player who is constantly looking to contribute positively to his colleagues' work and to the company.

Brandon is the type of person you can assign a project to and never have to worry about it again. He proactively manages concerns and relays pertinent information to the right people, internally and externally. He puts out the most intense fires with thoughtful solutions that show a deep knowledge of the tournament event space and community sentiment. He always served beyond any reasonable expectations as the linchpin of execution and operations for many of my largest sales activations, including a seven-figure budget event in an international location. Any team in esports or gaming with operational needs would welcome Brandon as a seasoned and knowledgeable event, client and community relationship manager.

“He proactively manages concerns and relays pertinent information to the right people, internally and externally. He puts out the most intense fires with thoughtful solutions that show a deep knowledge of the tournament event space and community sentiment.”

Chris Gonsalves

Chris Gonsalves

LinkedIn

As the CEO of Community Gaming, I've had the privilege of working alongside him as our senior partnerships associate. Brandon's knack for understanding client needs allowed him to forge meaningful and lasting partnerships. His empathetic approach ensured that every client feels valued, understood, and prioritized. When needed, he also helped with managing large scale esports events. From the drawing board to the live stage, each aspect was handled with care and attention to detail.

Brandon also possesses an intuitive grasp of player dynamics. On a personal front, Brandon's genuine approachability and readiness to lend a helping hand, whether it's diving deep into gaming tactics or untangling an operational knot, underscores his unwavering dedication to strengthening community bonds.

Furthermore, Brandon has a unique ability in seamlessly bridging operational logistics and cultivating lasting client relationships, an invaluable combination that's rare to find. I can attest to Brandon's exceptional passion for gaming and any organization in the gaming sector would not just gain an asset, but a force multiplier with Brandon on their team.

“As the CEO of Community Gaming, I've had the privilege of working alongside him as our senior partnerships associate. Brandon's knack for understanding client needs allowed him to forge meaningful and lasting partnerships.”

Mike Levine

Mike Levine

LinkedIn

I had the privilege of collaborating with Brandon on our Mojo Bowl event and his dedication was evident from day one. His in-depth understanding of the tournament ecosystem, combined with his exceptional organizational skills, ensured that the project ran without a hitch. One of Brandon's standout qualities is his ability to anticipate challenges and devise innovative solutions on-the-fly. Beyond his impressive professional capabilities, his enthusiasm and passion for gaming are infectious, making him an asset to any team. Working with Brandon wasn't just about achieving project milestones but about creating an experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend Brandon for any leadership position in the gaming industry, he's a game-changer.

“I had the privilege of collaborating with Brandon on our Mojo Bowl event and his dedication was evident from day one. His in-depth understanding of the tournament ecosystem, combined with his exceptional organizational skills, ensured that the project ran without a hitch.”

Brent Liang

Brent Liang

LinkedIn

Brandon is one of the best people I've worked with. He deeply understands gaming, player psychology, incentives, and how to run a mega successful event. He's also extremely proactive and responsible. I enjoyed working with Brandon a lot - he's one of these people you'd want at a fast-paced startup that you can lean on for all sorts of tough problems.

“Brandon is one of the best people I've worked with. He deeply understands gaming, player psychology, incentives, and how to run a mega successful event. He's also extremely proactive and responsible. I enjoyed working with Brandon a lot.”

Alex Dombeck

Alex Dombeck

LinkedIn

I had the pleasure of working alongside Brandon at Owned.gg, where I led the Creator Marketing Agency and he was the Tournaments Director. Even across departments, Brandon's impact was clear. He handled everything involved in running tournaments, including budgeting, logistics, scheduling, and team coordination. His systems were clean, efficient, and easy to work with. It's rare to find someone who can stay that organized while juggling so many moving parts.

Brandon is sharp, dependable, and always brought a steady presence to fast-paced projects. I'd gladly work with him again.

“Brandon's impact was clear. He handled everything involved in running tournaments, including budgeting, logistics, scheduling, and team coordination. His systems were clean, efficient, and easy to work with. It's rare to find someone who can stay that organized while juggling so many moving parts.”

Bryce Johnson

Bryce Johnson

LinkedIn

I've worked with Brandon in collaboration at multiple events including 3XP. I can confidently say he was a pleasure to work with due to his intensive focus in the details, his composed demeanor, and his solution oriented approach to finding ways to innovate and execute regardless of the cards he is dealt. I look forward to working with Brandon again in the future!

Track Record

Online Project Manager - Events Completed

Mojo Melee, 2023 - Partnered with Game Publisher
$10,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
CG Showcase, 2023 - Partnered with Magic Eden
$6,000 Prize Pool, Creator Manager
Axie Infinity, 2022 - Partnered with Game Publisher
$1,000,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
Splinterlands, 2022 - Partnered with Game Publisher
$10,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
EV.io, 2022 - Partnered with Fractal
$10,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
The Bornless, 2022 - Partnered with Game Publisher
$10,000 Prize Pool, Supporting Staff
Valorant Main Event, 2021 - Partnered with Riot Games
$25,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
Valorant Open Qualifier, 2021 - Partnered with Riot Games
$25,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
Skyweaver, 2021 - Partnered with Game Publisher
$5,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
League of Legends, 2021 - Partnered with DeversiFi
$20,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
Valorant, Premier Series Finale, 2021
$10,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
Valorant, Premier Qualifier #2, 2021
$5,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
Valorant, Premier Qualifier #1, 2021
$5,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager
Counter-Strike, Phoenix Series #2, 2021
$5,000 Prize Pool, Project Manager
Counter-Strike, Phoenix Series #1, 2021
$5,000 Prize Pool, Partnership Manager

Esports Authority, in five E's

Five words for what this platform is meant to be. Each one names something it does today.

  • Elite

    Built by someone who has run events at the top level and played at one, so the tooling assumes the standard rather than aspiring to it - umpire crews by position, seeds you can lock, a budget that has to reconcile.

  • Educational

    Every screen says what it is doing and why. When a schedule will not fit, it says so in words and lists the fixes in order. When a purse does not reconcile, it names the shortfall. Nobody has to already know how this works to use it.

  • Epicenter

    One link is the centre of an event. The schedule, the live scores, the standings, the bracket, the chat and the registration all live at the same address, so there is one place to send and one place to look.

  • Everyone

    Free to run a tournament or a league, and free to follow one. Players and fans install nothing and need no account to look - they open the link on a phone. Organizers, players, umpires and spectators all get a view built for what they are there to do.

  • Everything

    Fields, days, times, umpires, rosters, budgets, prize pools, your own rules, scores, standings and the record of who won, for a weekend tournament or an entire league season. Not a bracket generator with the rest left to a group chat.

Esports Authority
by MLG Anakin

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