"Brand partnerships, like the one with The General, prove that esports has a huge future as a mainstream sport": Garrett "GarrettG" Gordon, Rocket League pro for The General NRG

The American esports org The General NRG has had a dominant presence in the competitive Rocket League scene since 2016.

With the release of Rocket League back in 2015, the acrobatic motorsport attracted many individuals from different parts of the world. Soon after, many esports organizations started to form their own rosters to compete in esports.

Since then, many names have seen the highs and the lows. But for NRG Esports, one name has remained constant since he joined in 2017. Garrett "GarrettG" Gordon joined the NRG roster back on January 11, 2017, and since then, he has competed in every single RLCS Worlds.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Esports’ Subhradeep Mukherjee, Garrett shared his experience as a long-time professional Rocket League player. He also shed some light on their latest merger, which resulted in NRG Esports being named The General NRG.

Here’s an excerpt of the interview.

Q: You have been playing Rocket League professionally since the beginning of its competitive scene. What was your inspiration behind joining Rocket League esports?

GarrettG: I honestly can't say what exactly inspired me to go pro, I have just always loved competing regardless of what it is. If anything, the existing pro scene was what inspired me. I got into Rocket League a couple of months after release, and by that time there were top-level players who had already made a name for themselves. I did everything I could to copy and replicate what they were doing, so that meant playing in the same tourneys they did.

Q: It was during the main event of “ESL Go4: North America weekly 3v3” when you joined the roster of Foremost, and your team emerged victorious in that tournament. Did you go in just to win the tournament or as the first step in your professional career?

GarrettG: I went into the ESL tournaments just wanting to play the other best players in the game, so a professional career in Rocket League wasn't even something that crossed my mind or I thought was even possible.

Q: Starting from Foremost leading up to Orbit eSports, your journey in the Rocket League esports scene has been quite extraordinary, to say the least. What was your reaction when NRG Esports approached you to join their roster?

GarrettG: When I was approached by Fireburner I was extremely nervous, Fire was someone I had insane respect for and in my mind was the smartest player in the entire region. And of course, the answer was yes. I was saddened to leave Turtle and Moses at the time but I felt that Fire could teach me a lot about the game, and he did.

Q: Since you joined NRG Esports, the roster has undergone three changes, but you were always a part of the team. How did you manage to keep up with the changes and maintain team synergy with new players stepping in?

GarrettG: Picking up a new player is a very two-sided change. You can't expect a new player to come in and completely change just for your team, so you have to adapt to how that player plays and how they are comfortable. So, especially in the first month, everything is about familiarizing yourself and trying to build synergy as soon as possible. However, I feel that every move we have ever made has been extremely well thought out and I think that is why they have been so successful.

Q: People talk about you being the most consistent player to ever exist in Rocket League history. Even after some of the most heartbreaking losses in RLCS, how did you manage to keep that consistency up and running?

GarrettG: I feel that the major losses like season 5 Worlds are what shaped my mindset to what it is today. Every time the team and I have faced adversity, we have pushed through it and came out the other side with something to show for it. Even without that however, playing a video game that I love professionally is an opportunity I never could have imagined, so I try not to take it for granted and always give it the maximum amount of effort I can.

Q: You have been active since the first Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) was hosted. More so, you are the only player who has set foot in every single RLCS that has been held. How do you feel about that as a player?

GarrettG: I am extremely proud to have made every Worlds and just knowing how crazy of an experience it is, it makes me want to make it to every single one even more. I've seen players lose that motivation and edge and it spirals from there. For me, I want to travel to every place and play in as many events as I can.

Q: For someone who has been there in every single RLCS season, you have had to swallow some heartbreaking losses. You even made a tweet back in 2017 stating that you will not give up until you lift that trophy. But despite all that, was there any point in time where you thought of giving up on your dream?

GarrettG: Of course, there have been times when emotions are high right after a loss that I have thought I want to give up or retire. However, that feeling fades quickly and I remind myself that on the other side of a heartbreaking loss is the best feeling in the world, and that is what reignites my motivation, to experience that feeling over and over.

Q: You have finally achieved your long-time dream of lifting the winner’s trophy in RLCS Season 8 for NRG Esports. What made the difference that season?

GarrettG: Well, that season we were fresh on a new roster with the addition of Turbopolsa, and he knows how to win. I think a change for us was necessary and it was just a bonus that it was a three-time world champion at the time joining us. Also, Jstn’s performance at that Worlds was something that was truly remarkable. I think I did alright too, haha.

Q: The partnership between your NRG Esports team and The General Insurance is no doubt a huge step in the history of esports. What are your thoughts regarding this change?

GarrettG: I think The General Insurance joining us is awesome for a couple of reasons. First, I think it’s amazing that a company and brand as big as The General is aware of Rocket League. It's cool to see how big Rocket League has grown and how big our team in particular has become. Second, I think brand partnerships, like the one with The General, are really important for the success of esports and it further proves that esports has a huge future as a mainstream sport.

Q: It was made clear in the merger that it will mainly focus on the Rocket League roster naming them “The General NRG”. With all the new changes to the roster, does that affect the team in any way?

GarrettG: The partnership isn’t really going to affect the team, we’re going to keep practicing and playing the same way, but we are all really excited about the partnership and support we will receive from The General. I am also very excited to announce that our fans will be voting for new The General NRG jerseys for the upcoming season! Starting July 6, fans will be able to vote for our next jersey from four awesome designs. Be sure to go to www.thegeneral.com/NRG to check them out and vote daily!

Q: Before we sign off, anything you want to say to your fans and supporters out there?

GarrettG: I just want to thank everyone for their support and excitement surrounding the partnership with The General. We are really excited to get the fans in on the action more so stay tuned for more exciting The General NRG activations in the coming year! And please don’t forget to vote starting July 6 and you can vote daily through July 20!