1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: Well, as we mentioned last week on the show, this 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: new esports and technology hub was officially opened at the 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:08,799 Speaker 1: VIC Hotel in d and it's called the Array. 4 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 2: It's pitched to create a launch. 5 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: Pad for Territorians to develop innovative ideas capitalizing on one 6 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: of the fastest growing industries. And joining us on the 7 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: line to tell us a little bit more about it 8 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: is the arrays CEO Dylan Bennett. 9 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: Good morning, Dylan, are doing. 10 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: Yeah really good. Firstly, break it down for our listeners. 11 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: What are e sports exactly? Because I know some of 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: them are going to be listening thing and hang on 13 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: a second, what is that? 14 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 3: Yes, well that's part of the reason why we're here 15 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 3: as well. So esports been in the same way as 16 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 3: normal sports. For example, we had a Commonwealth of esports 17 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 3: where we sent over more females than males and advocates 18 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 3: of those plays somewhere between twenty five and thirty one. 19 00:00:55,120 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 3: So it's really esports is just a new wave of sports. 20 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: It's kind of like it's it's actually huge. 21 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: Is natural? You know, to give people a bit of context, 22 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: I suppose in years gone by we might have thought 23 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: our esports hang on a see, how can you be 24 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 1: playing sports like on a computer or on your device. 25 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: But it is an absolutely massive industry. 26 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 3: Absolutely. I mean some of the viewerships up there with 27 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 3: the Grand Finals of the MBA, of the Super Bowl, 28 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 3: and some of the prize forms now and then the 29 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 3: millions of dollars, so it's really a global phenomena. 30 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: So tell us a little bit more about what the 31 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: array is going to be and and you know what 32 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: it's going to mean for Territorians. 33 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 3: So there is enough profit tech hub you know, set 34 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 3: up in the heart of Dahl and we really look 35 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 3: at a three different things, esports being one of them 36 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 3: being a peak Association for esports, making sure that if 37 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 3: you want to be an athlete and saying your particular game, 38 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 3: then we can show you the pathway from going from 39 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 3: your little league to all the way to mint plowing 40 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 3: around the world and representing Australia. We're also a school, 41 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 3: so running courses to help people not just an esports 42 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,679 Speaker 3: but in all sorts of different tech as you and 43 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 3: probably many people are in the world are ware. At 44 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 3: the moment, we're in a bit of a tech crisis 45 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 3: trying to get enough people's skilled up in tech to 46 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 3: fit the needs of the jobs that are coming out, 47 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 3: So we run a whole bunch of different tech courses 48 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 3: for people to up still in. We also have a 49 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 3: beautiful co working space at the VIC Hotel, so anyone 50 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,119 Speaker 3: who's in like a tech business or a tech creative business, 51 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 3: we hope to have. This co working space is the 52 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 3: place of Belle Choose. 53 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 2: And so how did that launch go? 54 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: Like, have you already found that things are quite popular 55 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: and that people are sort of coming into, you know, 56 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: to find out about the different opportunities. 57 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 3: Oh my god, it was like so someone who grew 58 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 3: up going to the VIC back in the day, it 59 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: was amazing to see heat of the arcade filled with 60 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 3: people watching this tech and Filipino Australia tournament Like that 61 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,519 Speaker 3: was awesome. I'm honestly still a bit stunned, so was 62 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 3: the head but. 63 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 2: There was heaps of people there obviously. 64 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it was amazing. It was an awesome turnout 65 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 3: from the local crowd because obviously when you put these 66 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 3: events on you just you never know. But we had 67 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 3: to kind of support it from the local fighting gaining 68 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 3: sports communities and we had a lot of support and 69 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: indicators that it would be fool but were just you 70 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 3: never know until until the day. And yeah, it was 71 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 3: great to have shelter and shoulder and people screaming at 72 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 3: the screen, you know, and for the local person who 73 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 3: got up there. 74 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: Oh that's awesome. 75 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: I love to hear that, you know, like I love 76 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: hearing about some of the positive stuff that's happening, and 77 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: to hear people turning out in force as well. 78 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was so good. I don't think anyone in 79 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 3: that space act about it like that ever, And I 80 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 3: think for a lot of people it was like merging 81 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 3: the old with the new direction, you know, like turning 82 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: it into a tech hub for people to come and 83 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 3: upstill and hang out and be a part of this. 84 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 3: You know, what's happening in the world the sports, So. 85 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: Dylan, you know, when you look at what's happening in 86 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: the world of the sports and what you're look when 87 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: you look at what's happening with this kind of of tech, 88 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: what do you think we might sort of see developed 89 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: through the facility or you know, what kind of opportunity 90 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: could it present for territorians. 91 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 3: So I think for us, there's already a lot of 92 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 3: people playing video games. You know, there's a lot of 93 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 3: people who are I think the Latest Reporter is about 94 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 3: anyone pern of Australians are already playing video games in 95 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 3: some capacity. So I think it's about the people around 96 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 3: the Northern Territory, whether they're in remote communities or the 97 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 3: within Darwin or urban areas, basically being able to see 98 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 3: a pathway ahead of them, which isn't just sitting on 99 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 3: a couch and spending a few hours, although nothing wrong 100 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 3: with that because I do that myself. Yeah, but there 101 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 3: might be somethingple out there who are particularly good. In 102 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: the same way you might go to soccer and hang 103 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 3: out with your mates and have a bit of fun 104 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 3: and then suddenly someone sees you and say's actually, hang on, 105 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 3: you're pretty good at that. Have you ever thought of 106 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 3: taking that a little bit further? And Darwin hasn't really 107 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 3: been that opportunity to capitalize on that skill yet. So 108 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 3: I kind of hope now that they're a beacon that 109 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 3: if you are pretty good and one of these sports, 110 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 3: actually you can develop that into a career and that's 111 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 3: you know, there's normal sports. Maybe you go all the 112 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 3: way to the top, or maybe on the path to 113 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 3: the top you end up getting pretty good and go 114 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,919 Speaker 3: back into coaching or you might go into media, and 115 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 3: you might go into presenting or you know, because other 116 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 3: alternative pathways from doubling down on what is like your passion. 117 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 1: Yeah, Dylan, have you like over the weekend and since opening? 118 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: I mean, have you had people of all ages coming in? Oh? 119 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 3: And I think that's one of the key like amazing 120 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 3: things that exports is the Philippines team, for example, I 121 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 3: think the average age is around early twenty The Australian 122 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 3: team the average age was more mid thirties. We've got 123 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 3: a couple of up and coming sixteen year olds who 124 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 3: are just smashing it at the moment. Really there's you know, 125 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 3: quite an accessible sport to get into across the range. 126 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you what. 127 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: I've got a son who I think would find it awesome. 128 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 1: I'm sure that there's many of other people listening this 129 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: morning who either love it themselves or I have got 130 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: kids that do as well. So, you know, it is 131 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: like it's a whole new world. You know, for some 132 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 1: people listening this morning, they're going to be thinking, oh, 133 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: what people are turning up to watch esports? But it 134 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 1: is so popular and it's like it's a whole new world. 135 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: Yep. So huge, you know, Like I mean, if the 136 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 3: International Olympic Committee is organizing Olympics for esports, I think 137 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 3: that's the moment for us to recognize it. It's a 138 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 3: real deal, you know. Like and in Northern Territory obviously 139 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 3: we're still early spaces, but actually beyond the Northern Territory, 140 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 3: in Southeast Asia in particular, it's already been established for 141 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 3: quite some time. In order for it to be recognized 142 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 3: and runners an Olympics. 143 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: It's getting harder, Dylan to say to your kids, No, 144 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: you've got to go and do this in the afternoon, 145 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: when then there's these job opportunities in computer games or 146 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: you know, in e. 147 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 3: Sports and content creation. Path watching us anymore, it's like 148 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 3: people now can anyone with a webcam can just open 149 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 3: up their laptops and start to create contents. And I 150 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 3: think that's amazing and it's definitely a different world for 151 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 3: when we were growing up. Yeah, we've got to embrace 152 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 3: it because that's what this generation is doing, that's their normal. 153 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: Yep, it's so true. Well, Dylan, I really appreciate your 154 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: time this morning. Thanks so much for having a chat 155 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: with us, and all the best we'll have to get 156 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: you on for a bit of an update at some point. 157 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 3: Amazing, thank you, thank you, thanks so much.