Upcomer has confirmed with sources familiar with the situation that OpTic Gaming CEO Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez is looking to divest from his current role as Co-CEO of NRG Esports and potentially take ownership of the OpTic Chicago Call of Duty team with him. Dexerto was the first to report the story.
OpTic Gaming began in 2006 as a Call of Duty team and has had a major presence in the scene since then. H3CZ became CEO of OpTic in 2007 and quickly became a cornerstone of the hugely popular brand. When OpTic’s parent company, Infinite Sports & Entertainment was acquired by Immortals Gaming Club in June 2019, it was unsure whether he would remain with the organization.
H3CZ, age 41, announced his departure from OpTic just three months later, with a joint statement between him and Immortals stating that he had “declined the opportunity to remain in his current role” at the organization he had bee at for 13 years. He joined NRG as its co-CEO soon after.
His joining NRG coincided with the organization’s purchase of a Chicago-based slot in the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League. The team would become the Chicago Huntsmen and H3CZ would run it alongside NRG co-CEO Andy Miller.
IT'S OFFICIAL!
please welcome our new co-ceo hector "HECZ" rodriguez
and be sure to follow @Chicago_COD pic.twitter.com/BzJ5UsMgPv— NRG (@NRGgg) September 15, 2019
In November 2020, H3CZ announced that he had fully reacquired OpTic Gaming from Immortals. The Chicago Huntsmen were then rebranded to OpTic Chicago for the 2021 season. H3CZ told several of those close to him that he was planning to “get it back” when possible soon after leaving OpTic Gaming.
“Dude I’m so f—ing hyped,” H3CZ said in his video announcing the acquisition.
Details are unclear, but it seems like the 41-year-old has intended to divest from NRG for a while now, potentially ever since he reacquired the OpTic brand.
