🔒CT couple expands esports venture with statewide ambitions

Newtown couple Mark and Emily Kilpatrick launched Affinity Esports in 2021 to address what they saw as a gap in the fast-growing gaming industry. Their for-profit venture provides a physical space where gamers can gather, receive coaching and education, and participate in a culture that emphasizes respect and collaboration. The co-founders said the idea stemmed from the pandemic, when Mark Kilpatrick observed how frequently online competition fostered negative and condescending behavior among players. By contrast, Affinity aims to position itself as a structured, in-person alternative that combines skill development with community-building. “I would hear misogynist comments, I would hear racist comments,” Mark Kilpatrick said of his time playing video games during the pandemic. “Here at Affinity, we don’t tolerate that.” When it comes to expanding the business, the Kilpatricks aren’t playing games. They opened a third location in August with plans to blanket the state with new sites in five years. The company, which has grown to 20 employees, opened its first gaming space at its Newtown headquarters (27 Glen Road) in 2021. The facility has expanded from 500 square feet to more than 4,000. That was followed by a 2,500-square-foot location in Milford, and most recently, the company added a 600-square-foot venue at the Wilton YMCA after acquiring Connecticut Esports Academy. Terms of that deal weren’t disclosed. The Newtown location has 30 gaming stations, while Milford has 20 and Wilton has 14. They all have big-screen TVs, white boards for collaboration, tabletop and board games and livestreaming capabilities. Mark Kilpatrick said the goal is to build clusters of three sites, each about a half-hour apart, in YMCAs, sports clubs and other venues with built-in youth audiences. The company is targeting the Hartford area and the state’s shoreline for its next expansion. “We would like to be covering as much of the state as we can with physical locations,” he said.

‘Growing pull’

The Kilpatricks have a tech background. Mark Kilpatrick was the co-founder of New York City-based Urban FT, a financial technology company that builds cloud-based systems for banks and credit unions to manage digital banking, payments and account services. His responsibilities included product development and design and marketing. Kilpatrick said he left the company in 2021 to focus on Affinity Esports after reconnecting with gaming during the pandemic. He also “felt a growing pull” to mentor young people, he said. Before Urban FT, he was a graphic designer, having graduated from Florida-based Barry University in 2011 with a degree in fine arts and graphic design. Emily Kilpatrick worked for Urban FT as a product owner from 2016 to 2020. Together, they have two daughters and are focused on making further inroads into the U.S. esports education market — a growing sector fueled by rising participation among K-12 and college students. More broadly, the U.S. esports industry has expanded into a multibillion-dollar market, according to Grand View Research. Affinity Esports, which has 15 instructors, organizes its programming around three education pillars. The first focuses on life skills, such as communication and problem-solving, taught in the context of gameplay. The second introduces students to coding and game design, while the third covers strategies for building a personal brand through social media. Video games offered by Affinity Esports, which are rated either “E for Everyone” or “T for Teen,” include mainstream esports titles and popular casual games such as Minecraft, Fortnite and League of Legends, among others. “Our approach is rooted in common sense and parental consent,” Mark Kilpatrick said. “We work closely with parents to understand their preferences and unique requirements, tailoring each child’s experience to ensure it remains age-appropriate, purposeful and aligned with family expectations.” He said Affinity charges $125 to $150 for a week of 1.5-hour classes; $400 for a week-long “summer camp” program; and $600 for 40 hours of practice and competition during a season, which lasts three months. “A lot of our programs work out to about $15 per head per hour,” he said. Affinity Esports has about 600 youth participants per year and 150 young-adult gamers in its structured programs, which also include gaming competitions. It also offers private lessons for $60 an hour and birthday parties for up to 10 gamers at their locations, starting at $550. The company also brings gaming into schools, YMCAs, libraries, mental health agencies and nonprofit organizations through its mobile gaming service. Mark Kilpatrick declined to disclose financials but said the company’s revenues have increased tenfold since 2022.

Boosting CT market

The popularity of gaming has given rise to companies like Affinity Esports that combine gaming with education, said Crosby Armstrong, a spokesman for the Entertainment Software Association. “Given the applications and benefits of games on education, it’s not a surprise to us that organizations like this are popular,” Armstrong said. Affinity Esports faces some in-state competition, including Gamer’s Guild in New Britain and the eSpot Gaming Center in Plainville. A key challenge is overcoming the stigma some parents still associate with gaming — worries about screen time, violence, inactivity or social isolation. To change perceptions, Affinity emphasizes structured programs, safe facilities and intentional community-building that highlight the benefits of gaming, Mark Kilpatrick said. “Over time, we believe these efforts will create an inflection point where the conversation shifts away from fear and stigma, and toward the tangible, positive impact that structured gaming programs have on kids, teens and families,” he said. The Kilpatricks also launched Connecticut Esports in January as a way to promote and organize the state’s gaming industry. The free membership group hosts quarterly meetups for gamers, educators and industry professionals, produces an industry podcast, and plans to roll out a statewide esports league and competitions. “If we want esports to grow in the state of Connecticut, we have to be able to talk to each other,” Emily Kilpatrick said. “We have to be able to rely on the other people who are doing these things in-state, whether they’re competition or not. … We want to just elevate Connecticut into being a powerhouse.”