Our Athletes Voice series gives athletes a forum to talk about how technology has impacted their careers and their lives away from sports. This week, the New York Red Bulls’ eMLS player, Mike LaBelle, 29, discusses his career path, the upcoming FIFA eWorld Cup, and the in-game celebration named after him.
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When Mike LaBelle received his first media attention for gaming success back in 2007, the headline in the Houston Chronicle described EA Sports’ FIFA game as “thumb soccer.” The word “esports” had been coined as far back as 1999, but was still relatively unknown outside of the gaming community.