Main Line-backed N3rd Street Gamers drawing money, names and making big plans

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N3rd Street Gamers is part of the region’s growing roster of companies positioning themselves to benefit from the growing popularity of egaming and esports. (Photo couresy of WikiCommons)

When N3rd Street Gamers hosts a weekend tournaments at its LocalHost arena in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia, it’s not uncommon for the millennial-heavy crowd to spill out onto the street as inside dozens of competitors — eyes locked on computer screens, ears encased by headphones — dance their fingers across keyboards.

Depending on the event, the rows of gamers may be engaging in sword battles playing Hearthstone, piloting futuristic military vessels in StarCraft, or trying to block a punt in Madden football. All the action is displayed on large videos screens for spectators, who react just as if they are watching a game at a ballpark or hockey rink, writes  John George  in the Philadelphia Business Journal.


N3rd Street Gamers (pronounced Nerd Street Gamers) is in the business of producing esports tournaments, leagues and casual gaming events.

In 2108, N3rd Street Gamers is expanding both locally and nationally. In addition to creating a large local venue, the 8-year-old company is replicating its model in other parts of the country starting with Chicago and Washington, D.C.

“Our vision is to create an ecosystem for player development,” said John Fazio, co-founder and president of N3rd Street Gamers, noting nobody is serving the amateur and semipro gamers seeking to become professional players. Fazio is also a native of Huntington Valley and a graduate of Lower Moreland High School. “The amateur scene is blowing up.”

To read the complete story click here.

Main Line venture capital firm SeventySix Capital acquired an equity stake in  N3rd Street Gamers, we reported in October. 

SeventySix Capital is led by Wayne Kimmel, Jon Powell and former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard

The amount of the investment in N3rd Street Gamers was kept confidential, but a spokeswoman for SeventySix Capital of Radnor, Pa., said it was in the firm’s typical range of $250,000 to $1 million. A private investor, George Miller, also participated in the funding round.

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