How This Physician Created An Esports Branding And Marketing Company

Over the past decade, digital eye syndrome has surfaced as one major problem in the workplace as people are spending more time on and in front of different technological devices. Now, after an alarming increase of quarantine myopia (the ability to see close objects clearly but far objects appear blurry), ophthalmologists and physicians recommend implementing the 20-20-20 rule: look 20 feet away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds. This rule is essential for gamers. There has also been an increase in gamers during Covid-19. Due to the high stress, lack of sleep, and increase in competition, professional gamers practice 10 to 16 hours a day and play roughly five hours a day. 

Dr. Melita N. Moore, sports and esports medicine physician and founder of Levels Unlocked, helps athletes and gamers both on the medical and branding aspects of their careers. 

“What we see in gamers is exactly what we’re seeing with a lot of people working from home,” Moore explains. “Vision health is number one. We are seeing blurry vision, double vision and dry eyes. That’s something called computer vision syndrome, or digital eye strain. We’re seeing that more frequently coming into the office; there’s a very simple thing to do for people who are on computers and on screens. The 20-20-20 rule helps to reset the muscles in your eyes so that they aren’t so fatigued; so that you don’t have so many issues with this computer vision syndrome.”

Moore is a quadruple board-certified sports medicine doctor. Her specialty lies in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine, with sub-specialties in brain injury medicine and lifestyle medicine. Two years out of training, she was one of the first African American female physicians in the NBA. Through her position at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, she became a team physician at the Sacramento Kings and for the University’s intercollegiate sports teams.

“It’s the moment when you know that preparation meets opportunity,” Moore smiles. “I wasn’t selected because I was Black. I wasn’t selected because I was a woman. They weren’t trying to break ground and say, ‘hey, we have one of the first African American female physicians.’ That’s not what they were doing. My mentor there selected the best person for the job. That, to me, made it so much more fulfilling, knowing that it was because of the hard work I had done.”

As she transitioned in her career, she secured a position at MedStar Health in Washington, D.C. Under this new role, she became the team physician for the WNBA Washington Mystics, the NBA G League Capital City Go-Go and the NBA 2K League Wizards District Gaming. Being a team physician for the gaming team led Moore to conduct thorough research on the gaming industry and best practices for treating professional gamers properly, making her an expert in the field. Two years ago, while Aerial Powers, WNBA player and gamer, played for the Washington Mystics, she and Moore struck up a conversation about gaming. 

Moore shared her involvement in TwitchCon, and Powers shared how she wanted to build her brand around being a professional basketball player and gamer. From that conversation, Moore launched Levels Unlocked Enterprises to help Powers sign endorsement and sponsorship deals in the industry.

In March, Moore stepped down from her role at MedStar Health to focus solely on her entrepreneurial endeavors. In addition to expanding Levels Unlocked, she’s also focusing on her 501(c)(3) Health-e-Gamer Foundation. 

“I had an awakening when I was in the WNBA bubble last summer and there was a voice within me telling me that I should be doing more,” Moore explains. “I see how the Black and Brown communities are being ravished by both of these crises and the health disparities that come with that. ... A few weeks ago, there was a story that broke that uncovered the discrimination of compensation in the NFL for retired players based on their race. ...That was it for me. That was the moment that I said, ‘I must do more.’ So, I decided to resign from my hospital and teams, walk away from the only thing that I have known in my decade career and step into the world of entrepreneurship.”

Moore and her team of multicultural women executives design, market and manage personal brands for esports athletes, traditional athletes, sports medicine professionals and influencers. Additionally, she’s a board member and chair of the health and wellness commission at Global Esports Federation. 

As Moore continues to transition in her career, she focuses on the following essential steps: 

• Research is key. The more you know about the area you want to get into, the better-informed decisions you can make. 
• Do the work. Pivoting into a new area may seem sexy until you realize the actual work that’s involved. Don’t give up right away. Focus on the outcome you want.
• Be open to sharing new ideas. Receiving feedback is the only way you’ll advance and get to where you want to go.

“I’ve never thought about being an entrepreneur,” Moore concludes. When you wake up and say, ‘ok, I can do it,’ that’s the resilience and self-confidence you have to have. I read a lot because this is an industry I don’t really know a lot about. That’s how I was able to have at least some of the education and some of the business language you have to have as an entrepreneur.”