Jacob Wolf takes esports expertise to podcasting as he continues to influence a new generation of writers

By Alexander Lee

Jacob Wolf was 19 years old when ESPN hired him to write for its fledgling esports department. Five years and hundreds of scoops later, Wolf has become one of the most prominent voices in esports media. Unlike some of his contemporaries, his reputation is built on his level-headed reporting and pragmatic view of the industry — not so much an influencer-journalist as a journalist with influence.

A LOOK AT JACOB WOLF’S CAREER

2014: began freelancing for endemic esports sites;
2015: started at Dot Esports in a full-time role;
2016 to 2020: worked at ESPN;
Present day: chief reporter and investigative lead at Dot Esports

During his time at ESPN, Wolf’s portfolio grew to include industry-shaking business stories, such as sports magnates Robert Kraft and Fred Wilpon’s decision to invest in the Overwatch League, alongside far-reaching reports, such as coverage of the aftermath of a deadly shooting at a Madden NFL tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. After ESPN Esports went belly up in 2020, Wolf moved to Dot Esports, where he is currently the chief reporter and investigative lead.

Wolf’s reporting chops have put him in the room with the likes of Mark Cuban, Adam Silver and Shaquille O’Neil. At this rate, his name is synonymous with esports itself, and he continues to carve out networking opportunities and access to the esports world for other journalists (including this Digiday reporter).

In 2022, he hopes to expand his talents into big-budget audio, film and television work through his new production company, Overcome.

New horizons

After eight years as a working journalist, Wolf is a walking encyclopedia — not only of esports, but of the entertainment and media industry in general. If you need to know who owns who, who works where or what helps a particular company succeed or fail, Wolf probably knows the answer. Mention a streaming service, and he’ll quickly opine on its best content and how it might change hands in the future; bring up an esports organization, and he’ll rattle off its notable executives and list the scandals it’s swept under the rug. Wolf’s knowledge of — and critical eye toward — the esports industry is readily apparent within moments of shaking his hand.

So it’s no surprise that Overcome’s first project is an eight-episode investigative podcast breaking down one of the juiciest business stories in esports (the details of which Digiday agreed not to report on to avoid complicating the reporting process). Produced in collaboration with esports company Nerd Street Gamers, the podcast is currently slated for a release in the second or third quarter of 2022. “I think he’s going to quickly carve his name out in that Sorkin–VICE kind of space, where it’s like, not only are they powerful stories, but they are daring,” said Nerd Street Gamers CEO John Fazio. “I think that’s what’s most exciting about Jacob’s attitude and approach …read more

Source:: Digiday