Jatovi McDuffie: His ‘Field of Dreams’ Includes a Video Gaming Arena

DURHAM, NC – You may know Jatovi McDuffie as the on-field announcer for the Durham Bulls. However, he has a big passion for video games. As the founder and owner of Triangle Esports Championship and Bull City Gaming, McDuffie is working with several organizations to make the Raleigh/Durham, NC region a big competitive gaming area with its own video gaming arena. I talked with him about his life with the Durham Bulls and gaming.

SM: How long have you been with Durham Bulls and what exactly do with them?
Jatovi McDuffie (JM): I’ve been with the Bulls for 17 years now. I started way back in 2004 and have seen a lot in my time there. My official title is On Field Announcer.

SM: What has been your best moment with the Bulls?

JM: There are so many “best moments” that I’ve seen or been a part of at the ballpark, it’s hard to mention just one. Fernando Perez, one of the fastest players to ever play for the Bulls, stole home in a grind-it-out game. Chris Richards hit 2 grand slams in a game with his final grand slam to win the game. Watching the team celebrate multiple championships and the All-Star Game. Seeing a 4-year-old who was going to race Wool E Bull, got confused and ran straight to David Price standing on the mound. A little over 11 years ago a 5-year-old little girl, who came with her family and enjoyed watching the antics on the field, drew a picture of me that I still keep in my wallet. Hanging out with Shelby, a young lady with special needs who is confined to a wheelchair, and her family as she enjoys the game. Max and Sandy, who used to bring candy for the team, started a tradition of bringing me a lollipop every game. Being able to officiate the marriage of two season ticket holders at home plate. Being part of a team trying to help kids and families overcome and heal the scars of a very traumatic situation where gunfire rang out at a little league field. A child, who had a brain injury and honestly shouldn’t be with us, was able to race Wool E Bull. I could go on for days with the best moments.

SM: If money & time didn’t matter, what would you be doing?
JM: In all honesty, probably what I am doing now. I truly enjoy being able to meet everyone at the park and hopefully give them a few minutes of peace. I know it sounds cliche but it is what drives me. It is why I am so determined to bring eSports/gaming to Durham in a larger but more inclusive way.

SM: How long have you been gaming?
JM: I’ve been playing games forever. I started in the Atari 2600 era. I’m not much of a competitive gamer, I just enjoy games.

SM: What are some of the former gaming events you have worked with?
JM: The biggest for me is the one I created called the DBAP Gaming Challenge. The first eSports event to happen at a baseball field in Durham. I learned a tremendous amount from putting it together.

SM: You want to open a ‘Video Gaming Arena’. What is that? What would it look like? 

JM: So a gaming arena really is a giant arcade only with PCs and a few gaming systems. The main reason that PCs have to be the main system harkens back to why this is important to me, education. Arenas feel like arcades but are truly just dressed up computer labs. That opens the doors to various classes like coding, video production, digital art, architecture, and even business. Working with entities like Durham Tech, NCCU, the Durham Sports Commission, the city of Durham, NC Amateur Sports, Digital Turbine, CBC, and more allows this simple arcade to become more. It is a way for local tech companies to groom and hire homegrown talent creating a pipeline for success.

SM: Where would a gaming arena be built? 
JM: The arena will be built in downtown Durham on Parrish Street.

SM: What are some upcoming events you are working on?
JM: Right now, I am working on a few events. The ones I can announce are with the Town of Cary and with the town of Wake Forest. The Online tournaments with the Town of Cary are Tekken 7, King of Fighters 15, Smash Bros Ultimate, and Rocket League. They are free to join. (Click Here) The online tournament for the town of Wake Forest is also free and is a Smash Bros Ultimate tournament. (Click Here) 

SM: What organizations have you worked with?

JM: The town of Wake Forest, The town of Cary, Durham Sports Commission, NC Amateur Sports, CBC, etc. Lots have had a hand in helping in some form or fashion.

SM: What is your next move/upcoming event and details?
JM: The big move is creating this esports/gaming arena and the online opportunities right now.

SM: Before we wrap, as a fellow gamer, what gaming system and games did you play growing up?
JM: I played just about them all. RCA had a system, Colecovision, Atarti 2600, NES, SNES, Genesis, SEGA CD, Dreamcast, 3DO, Wii, Switch, PlayStations, XBOX’s, PC, Android, IOs. I like games. Having multiple systems, I played a lot. My favorites are Role Playing Games, RPGs. Panzer Dragoon Saga was one of my favorite games. It was on the Sega Saturn.

SM: What gaming systems do you play currently?
JM: I currently have a PS4, XBOX 1, Nintendo Switch, and a PC. I mainly play on PC.

SM: What are some of his current favorite games?
JM: The Last of Us, God of War, Far Cry, MultiVersus, Rocket League, Trek to Yomi, Slapshot: Rebound, Freestyle Street Basketball 2, Hades, As Dusk Falls, I am Fish, Two Point Campus, Death Coming, and Civ VI.

SM: Why are video games important in his life?
JM: Games are a great escape and a stress relief.

Be on the lookout for Jatovi McDuffie’s video gaming arena coming to downtown Durham!