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For transparency: Esports News UK editor Dom Sacco used to work full-time for British Esports between September 2016 and February 2021, and currently does some freelance work for them, producing their weekly email newsletter
The British Esports Federation has announced Michael ODEE’ O’Dell as the new Great Britain (GB) Esports Team Manager for rosters competing in international esports tournaments.
The news comes ahead of the first Olympic Esports Games, which will take place in Saudi Arabia later in 2025, with more details still to be confirmed. Great Britain esports teams also compete in the likes of the Global Esports Games, with the 2024 event recently delayed to 2025.
Brit ODEE is an esports legend, having co-founded Team Dignitas in the early days of esports, before working in roles such as Chief Gaming Officer at London Royal Ravens and winning lifetime achievement awards in esports. He’s now Director of Pro Gaming & Esports at Scan Computers, and is a founding member of the British Esports Advisory Board.
Throughout his career, ODEE has mentored hundreds of pro gamers.
In our fortnightly Esports News UK Twitch streams, if we’re talking about a player, ODEE is often in the chat, saying: “I coached him.”
British Esports said in a press release that ‘ODEE’s experience and vision will be instrumental in guiding Great Britain’s esports teams to success on the international stage, and supporting the expansion of British Esports’ training and development facilities at the National Esports Performance Campus’ in Sunderland.
Michael ‘ODEE’ O’Dell, Great Britain Esports Team Manager, said: “I am honoured to have been appointed as the team manager for Great Britain and representing our nation in this capacity fills me with immense pride.
“Having been heavily involved in the esports scene for many years, I’m excited to help British gamers reach new heights and compete for medals on the global stage, continuing the legacy of success that British Esports has already built.”
ODEE
“With the inaugural Olympic Esports Games taking place this year, it’s crucial that our esports athletes are fully prepared for the challenge ahead,” added Chester King, President of British Esports.
“ODEE’s extensive experience in developing esports talent will play a key role in guiding Great Britain’s team toward medal success.
“With the full support of our state of the art National Esports Performance Campus, we’re confident our teams will be equipped to deliver exceptional results on the global stage.”
Update: Following the publication of this news, another national body, Esports Wales, published this statement saying that British Esports does not have the authority to act as the national body for the whole of the UK, and that Esports Wales is ‘currently engaged in conversations with relevant stakeholders’.
Esports News UK has also reached out to Scottish Esports and Ireland Esports (which also has a partnership with Esports Northern Ireland) for their views, and will update this article if we receive comment.
Scottish Esports Chief Executive Mark McCready added: “Esports is a devolved policy area in the UK. Participation in international governance decisions or competitions should incorporate the interests of the home nations to ensure that British interests are accurately represented.”
ODEE’s appointment comes following the departure of former GB Team Manager, Mark Weller, who stepped down in June 2024 and has since launched a Weller Freelance & Consulting offering.
ODEE has also recently appeared in an ad for new football simulator game Soccerverse.
More information on Great Britain’s Esports Team is expected to be added to britishesports.org in the near future.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
