South Florida entrepreneur Jennifer Vilela is set to launch XP League’s first Florida franchise in Palm Beach County this fall. Vilela will become a franchisee owner of XP League, a youth esports franchise brand with connections to the professional esports community under the parent company, Unleashed Brands.
Vilela has spent nearly 20 years as a successful realtor and is a single mother of four boys. She currently sits on the advisory board for COPE (Coalition for Parents in esports), an organization that provides more knowledge to parents in the esports world. She sees the unique opportunities owning a youth esports franchise can bring to young gamers. She says the inclusiveness of the XP League model will allow her to continue work on a broader scale to help many children achieve success.
“Gaming is not going away,” she says. “I love that it’s being acknowledged as a sport and there are so many college opportunities out there. XP League is amazing since we are bringing a team environment, coaching and education to the sport, which is what sold me on opening a franchise. So many towns are eager for esports to be in their communities and trying to figure out how to make it work. There is so much demand for these programs right now.”
Once the Palm Beach County location opens later this year, Vilela expects her son Jake, a professional Fortnite player known as BullyWYD, to be involved in the business by coaching higher-level high school students. She also hopes her other sons will be partake in the franchise, making it a family business. She anticipates a mid-October opening with the first season to start on Nov. 28.
Launched in 2020, XP League helps students interested in esports to further their passion at a competitive level like traditional sports. Each league offers a nine-week seasonal program, including one practice and one weekly match. Each team is led by a coach who focuses on teaching resiliency, teamwork, sportsmanship and gaming skills. By integrating these values into the core format of its programming, gamers see the positive reward as an exciting part of the overall experience.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer to our franchise family with her extensive business knowledge and background in understanding professional gaming and how it can lead to tremendous opportunities for kids,” Jay Melamed says, CEO and Brand President. “We feel fortunate Jennifer chose our brand to align with during this exciting time of growth for esports programs.”
XP League is seeking individuals committed to its mission to continue to grow the industry. Franchisees don’t need to be an expert in esports or have a ton of familiarity with the industry. The program provides coaching guides and all tournament management is done at the corporate level. The initial investment for interested franchisees ranges from $37,800 to $73,660. For more information about owning an XP League franchise, visit https://franchise.xpleague.com/.
