Scratch: CMO Interviews

How ESL FACEIT Group Fuels the Largest Esports League on Earth

Episode Summary

In this episode, Fabio Tambosi, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), takes us into the fast-paced world of esports and gaming. With a background in iconic sports brands (Nike, Adidas, Saucony), Fabio shares how 3.2B gamers worldwide are rewriting the rules of modern marketing. From his early days chasing a professional soccer dream to leading the world’s biggest esports platform, Fabio reveals why a “community-first” mindset and unlearning old habits are key to delivering campaigns that really connect. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to harness the power of authentic engagement—whether you’re in esports or any industry ready for change.

Episode Notes

Check out our new podcast ‘Ripples’ on Microcultures from the links 🔗 below 👇

🎙️ Listen on Apple podcasts here
🎧 Listen on Spotify here

In this episode, we sit down with Fabio Tambosi, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG)—the world’s largest esports and gaming ecosystem. Fabio shares his journey from a near-pro soccer career to marketing roles at Nike, Adidas, and Saucony before stepping into the high-velocity realm of esports.

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is Fabio’s approach to “unlearning” old habits. Drawing on his experience managing iconic sports brands, Fabio explains why empowering teams, trusting the community, and staying humble are critical for success in an always-evolving digital landscape. With more than 3.2B gamers globally, Fabio believes co-creation and community-led content represent the future of modern marketing—both in esports and beyond.

Watch the video version of this podcast on Youtube ▶️: https://youtu.be/xEKUBtePN3E

📚 Chapters:

(00:00:00) – Intro 🎙️
(00:04:20) – Fabio’s Challenger Brand
(00:06:56) – Overview of ESL FACEIT Group 🕹️
(00:09:20) – From Soccer Dream to Accidental Marketer ⚽
(00:18:43) – Unlearning & Asking ‘Simple’ Questions 🤔
(00:19:49) – Trusting the Team & Creative Process 💡
(00:24:21) – Why you need to empower your team 👥
(00:38:00) – Where Brands go Wrong 🏗️
(00:40:50) – Lightning Round ⚡

🖊️Mentioned in the show:

Scratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities that help businesses grow faster. Scratch is hosted by Eric Fulwiler, and he’s joined by Fabio Tambosi of ESL FACEIT Group in this episode.

Find Rival online at www.wearerival.com, LinkedIn, Twitter.

Find Eric on LinkedIn and tweet him @efulwiler.

Find Fabio on LinkedIn.

Say hi at media@wearerival.com, we’d love to hear from you.