We are glad to kick off the Community Figures interview series with our first guest: Blake 'mBlakew' Webb, who hosts the weekly North American Tournament Series.

First off, I’d like to thank you for being the first person in this interview series. I’m excited to kick off this series with the NA Tournament Series’ coordinator!

Blake: Thanks for having me.

What motivated you to get into eSports?

Blake: Like so many in my generation I grew up playing video games. They’ve remained one of the very few constants throughout my life. In high school I would spend the weekends traveling around with my group of friends competing in Halo tournaments. I really started noticing eSports emerge while I was a senior in college. I began watching live events, reading news, youtubing recaps and interviews, and just became enamored with the idea of eSports.

Did you come to Smite with the intention of hosting tournaments, or was that something that evolved over time?

Blake: My friends and I got into Smite right before Guan Yu was released. Man I miss the old Guan Yu. I don’t think anyone gets into the administration side of eSports with that being the end goal. Administration is a behind the scenes job. So you don’t get recognized like you would as a streamer or shoutcaster. As for me It just kinda happened over time as more opportunities were presented.

When did you start hosting tournaments?

Blake: I first began hosting tournaments for Smite in November of 2012 when MyRevenge eSports emerged on the scene as a tournament provider backed by Hi-Rez Studios. I sent the CEO of MyRevenge an email with a list of bullet point suggestions on how to better the tournament. He set up a meeting with me and I was signed on to be the lead behind the Smite tournament series.

Did you ever think you’d be hosting something like the North American Tournament Series when you first started hosting community tournaments?

Blake: Not really. I hosted tournaments with MyRevenge and Curse for 5-6 months before signing on with Hi-Rez. In that time there were whisperings of Hi-Rez taking the tournaments in house. I figured they would just make a few of the studio employees run the tournaments. I was pleasantly surprised.

What lead to Hi-Rez hiring you as coordinator for the NA Tournament Series?

Blake: For my 23rd birthday my girlfriend planned a trip for us to see a Kevin Smith Q/A in Atlanta. Georgia Tech was also hosting a lan party at which Hi-Rez was going to be present. We decided to come down a day early and attend the Georgia Tech event. I got to meet Lassiz, Duke, Gavin, and a few other people who were involved with the game. We sat around talking about the future of Smite tournaments and I guess the rest is history.

What’s the biggest hurdle you had to overcome to be where you are now?

Blake: The biggest hurdle is giving up every Saturday to host the tournament. In the 30 weeks we’ve been doing Hi-Rez tournaments I’ve missed two. Working for MyRevenge I sacrificed the entire weekend. Luckily I enjoy spending most of my down time in front of a computer.

How long does it take to prepare for the tournament weekends?

Blake: I think of tournament preparation as a train. It takes a bit to get everything going, but once you’re running everything is generally fine. I prepare on and off throughout the week to make sure everything is well oiled for Saturday.

What is the most important organisational aspect of hosting a tournament?

Blake: Probably a mix of communication and availability. There’s always going to be a new challenge each week but being available and communicating effectively will usually get you through it.

Give us a quick insight into what it takes to run the NA Tournament Series.

Blake: Monday through Friday is spent working with studio employees over Skype. Whether it be meetings to discuss rules, teams, future changes, or specifics for the tournament. I also try to be available throughout the week to speak with teams who have any questions or concerns. Saturday I begin checking in teams roughly 2 hours before the tournament begins. I’ll also usually be hovering around Twitch chat to answer questions. Once check in is complete I make the brackets. Once this is complete there is usually a 10-15min window of down time before the tournament officially begins. This is spent answering questions for the captains, making sure everyone is ready to begin their match, and working with the casters to create a stream production schedule. During the tournament I’m handling issues the teams face while in their match. I’m also in Twitch chat during this time answering questions and enforcing the channel rules. After a match completes I update the brackets and record the match information. Rinse and repeat for 5-8 hours until the tournament is complete.

What are some tips you could give to those looking to get into hosting tournaments?

Blake: If you have the time and energy it can be a rewarding process. Jump at any opportunity and see where the journey takes you. It may not be glamorous but it’s an essential role. Also, develop thick skin. In any administrative role you’re going to have to make tough calls that not everyone will understand and you will be called out for it.

Thank you for your time Blake! Is there anything that you’d like to say to our readers?

Blake: Thanks again for having me! You can find me in game on mBlakew, on Twitter @mBlakew, or I sometimes stream on Twitch.tv/mBlakew.

That wraps up this interview. A huge thanks to Blake for participating in the interview series. Is there someone YOU would like to know more about, or someone you want others to know more about? Give us your suggestions in the comments below or on reddit! If you enjoyed the interview, consider following me on twitter for updates on upcoming articles and interviews.