LOS ANGELES — Rodger Saffold — veteran offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams — moonlights as the owner of Rise Nation, a professional Call of Duty esports organization. At Variety’s Sports and Entertainment Summit, he spoke on the dualities and similarities between the two sports — and yes, Saffold considers esports a sport — and also about setting up scholarship funds for those pursuing a career in professional gaming.
“The biggest time you spend in both sports and esports is time,” Saffold said. “Everybody thinks you just show up on Sundays and play games. It’s very time-consuming.