EXCEL ESPORTS (XL) is the latest organisation to join Beyond NRG’s fast-growing roster, and as a global powerhouse, they are an absolute asset to the brand. At our initial meetings with the head of performance, Fabian Broich, we understood that nutritional support is at the forefront of importance for EXCEL and its players. We are incredibly excited to be supporting EXCEL as they progress in 2021, with Beyond as their chosen energy supplement.
As nutrition is now at the forefront of EXCEL priorities, do you believe that energy and focus supplements can help reach peak mental performance?
“When we talk about food, we have to talk about stress, energy and regeneration. Malnutrition or the wrong ingredients will stress the body, cause fatigue and take focus away from the performance. Nutrients have to be viewed as a person’s fuel. For example, a car needs the correct and right amount of fuel to work; this is exactly the same for people. Being alert and having proper vitamin intake is essential for your brain and heart. Esports players, in particular, need to react quickly and make instant decisions without delay. Having the right nutrients is the difference between a win or a loss.” – Fabian (Head of Performance)
Introduction To EXCEL ESPORTS
Headquartered in London, EXCEL ESPORTS is a British competitive gaming culture brand founded in 2014 by brothers Joel and Kieran Holmes-Darby.
The organisation has competitive rosters across three game titles, Fortnite, VALORANT and League of Legends. EXCEL is one of ten founding partners of the LEC, Europe’s most-watched esports league, and competes in the NLC, the Northern League of Legends Championship. EXCEL is also home to Fortnite prodigy Jaden “Wolfiez” Ashman, the youngest gamer to earn $1 million in esports, he also starred in the Amazon Prime Video DocuSeries GameBreakers which premiered on February 14th 2021.
How did EXCEL begin?
EXCEL was built from a joint passion for gaming by brothers Joel & Kieran. They came up with the idea for EXCEL within the epitome of British culture, a Wetherspoons pub! They were both studying at the time but always wanted to see if they could turn their passion for gaming into a full-time career.
How many people are part of EXCEL?
EXCEL has 39 people as part of the business, including players, coaches and staff.
We wanted to get to know EXCEL ESPORTS, so we put together some of our burning questions and fired them over!
Are EXCEL planning on going into any other games?
We constantly assess new expansion opportunities, and with the frequent release of new games, we are strategic, taking our time to make decisions. When we enter an esport, it’s to create a legacy.
What does the day of an EXCEL ESPORTS player look like?
As a professional esports organisation, the primary focus is providing our players with the tools to improve. We understand it’s not just about getting better inside of the game but about overall performance.
Therefore, we established a holistic performance approach focusing on sleep, physical activity, nutrition and mental health. These supplementary factors play a significant role in our performance philosophy. Having a core structure in place allows our players to have a specialised focus on well-being and, in turn, results in increased all-around performance.
Our esports players have access to catered food by a sports nutritionist and cook, sports scientists, physiotherapists, and sports psychologists who support them with making good decisions, both in and out of the game. We also provide sports sessions to create a solid team environment helping the players develop and become resistant to stress.
What was your highlight from 2020?
2020 was a huge milestone year for EXCEL. We went through an exciting and ambitious brand update; Dele Alli joined us as our first global ambassador, and our BBC documentary made its debut, Fight for First: EXCEL ESPORTS, voiced by Cillian Murphy.
Do you think esports is becoming more mainstream than regular physical sports these days, and do you think it will overtake it in popularity?
Esports and traditional sports are two very different verticals and can coexist happily. Whilst there are many similarities in both building high performing competitive teams and the business models that exist, esports is its own phenomenon and should be treated that way. Esports will undoubtedly become more mainstream in the future as the audience continues to grow, but both industries can continue to thrive in the future.
Why is EXCEL excited to be partnering with Beyond NRG?
Beyond NRG is a company that finds creative solutions to the needs of professional esports players. Therefore, they are a strong partner to support our holistic performance concept. Natural caffeine, coupled with a fresh taste and lots of vitamins, gives our players the last kick that can be decisive for victory.
What makes EXCEL a highly respected UK organisation?
This year will be seven years since EXCEL ESPORTS began, and in that time, we have grown into a brand that prides itself on being born and bred in the UK.
We believe in the importance of shining a light on the UK esports scene and helping nurture the talent that we have. It’s also great that we have trusted and highly respected partners like BT, HyperX, Chupa Chups and BELONG Gaming Arenas, and now Beyond NRG that also share our vision.
How can people join EXCEL ESPORTS?
We are constantly growing as an organisation and looking for creative people to join us. You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for our latest content or join our passionate Discord community.
EXCEL are in a really exciting expansion phase and recruiting roles right now that people can find if they head over to XL.gg
Finally, what are you looking forward to most in 2021?
Every year since we founded EXCEL ESPORTS, it has seen growth and expansion, so I have no doubt 2021 will be another big year for us. We recently announced our entrance in VALORANT, where we spent a lot of time getting our coaching structure in place and compiling a roster with big ambitions. I am really excited to see what we can achieve, and it’s great to have Beyond NRG as our first VALORANT partner to join us on this journey.
Beyond NRG Summary
The team at Beyond would like to wish EXCEL the very best of luck in their upcoming endeavours. Especially with the introduction of their new Valorant division! Head over to our community page where you can learn more about all of the players, including their favourite Beyond flavours.
