After alleged payment issues from Gamers First, the Women’s Car Ball (WCB) tournament series for women’s Rocket League is facing heavy criticism. Community members are now demanding the creation of a completely new league.
In February 2023, Gamers First took over the WCB league from Kansas City Pioneers (KCP) due to KCP’s failure to pay out prize money. However, the problem of missing payments has persisted, causing frustration among players.
On November 11, screenshots of Discord conversations between Resolve Esports COO Jeff Simpkins and Gamers First CEO Kenny Vaccaro were shared online. Simpkins criticized the organization for driving players to boycotts and threats in order to initiate communication.
According to the screenshots, Vaccaro claimed to have personally paid the money that KCP couldn’t provide to competitors. He also mentioned difficulties in raising funds for the league and hinted at a future plan to help participating organizations monetize.
However, a professional women’s Rocket League player revealed that competitors are “fed up” and that the league staff has no clarity about the league’s future. Additionally, it was reported that staff members at Gamers First have not received their own payments.
Despite promises, prize money for the WCB Championship held on August 20 has still not been paid, causing frustration among players. Simpkins expressed disappointment in Gamers First’s repeated failure to deliver on their promises, undermining the hard work of the women involved.
As of November 14, neither Vaccaro nor Gamers First have addressed the screenshots or provided clarification on the payment situation.
Adding to the controversy, Gamers First launched a new WCB merchandise store on October 27, raising concerns about the allocation of funds and prioritization of other projects over paying players and staff.
In response to the ongoing issues, players have called for a complete overhaul of women’s competitions in Rocket League. They believe that the only way to revitalize women’s tournaments is for Epic Games or Psyonix to create, support, or sponsor their own league, separate from the WCB brand.
While there has been no announcement of support from Rocket League developers or publishers, the community’s trust in Gamers First to provide a successful women’s esports circuit has significantly diminished, leaving the future of WCB and other women’s tournaments uncertain.
CatJeans, the general manager for Detonate Esports and the sole remaining woman on the WCB staff, stated that the representation of the community WCB serves is no longer present and that women’s Rocket League deserves better.
The women’s Rocket League esports community is eagerly anticipating change, whether it be for the better or worse.
Source: DOTESPORTS
