Starting a business during a pandemic might sound a little nuts, but it presented the perfect opportunity for Chris Davis and Matt Giombetti. The two friends recently launched Electric City Esports, an agency that builds college esports teams and provides marketing services for gamers who dream of going pro. In a time when sports seasons are cancelled and social life has gone digital, they’re forging ahead toward the future.

The Penn State Scranton alumni went their separate ways after graduation, with Chris pursuing a job in Harrisburg and Matt working out of Milford. But they ultimately found their way back to the Valley and brought their hometown pride with them. Moving forward, they’re excited to start local tournaments, help out with charity fundraisers and put the region on the professional esports map.

We sat down to discuss how NEPA is plugging in to the future of gaming.

What’s your hometown?

Matt: I grew up in Jessup.

Chris: I grew up in Lake Ariel.

Chris, you moved out of the area for a while. What did you miss most about NEPA?

Chris: I was fortunate enough right after I graduated to have a job out in Harrisburg at a big agency. I thought that would be the dream thing, having the transition from a little town to the big city. I enjoyed that for about three months and said, ‘This is not for me.’ I loved the work that I was doing, but my heart was in NEPA still. I would say I missed the quietness that NEPA has to offer. As I said, I grew up in a rural town, so I got used to seeing more fields than I ever did any big skyscrapers. So I always knew that NEPA would be my home. It was nice to be able to find a way back to my hometown and then be close to my family and friends. Both my parents’ families have been here for generations, and I knew that NEPA would be where I wanted to live out my life.

What brought you back to NEPA?

Chris: I guess it was an opportunity for me to think what I could bring to the area. At the time, I had no idea what that was going to be. I just have such a passion for the area because of its rich history and the fact that small businesses make up such a huge part of the communities that we live in here. I wanted to find some way to give back to the communities that I grew up in and make a name again for NEPA.

And Matt, what made you decide to stay in NEPA?

Matt: That’s a really good question because I’ve been tempted to leave multiple times. But I have a family here. I have two children. I don’t know if they’re going to stay or leave when they grow up, but I want to see the area thrive in case they do stay.

What’s your favorite thing to do in NEPA?

Matt: I’m a homebody, so I don’t go out much beside doing our work. It’s normally just getting together with friends. We’ll get together, and we’ll go to a backyard. We’ll have a fire going, and we’ll sit there and talk. And I can’t trade that. Chris was saying that before. The quietness of NEPA—no matter if it’s up in the rural area or the suburban areas—is still super pleasant.

Chris: For me, I’ve always enjoyed going to downtown Scranton. Growing up, my parents, and specifically my grandmother, would take me to visit the Steamtown Mall or the Steamtown National Historic Site. I grew a quick appreciation for the rich history of the area related to the railroad industry, the coal industry and so on. So a simple trip to Scranton, getting a Texas weiner from Coney Island, it was just a whole cultural experience for me. And to this day, it still is. It’s something I’ve grown to appreciate.

What’s next for you?

Chris: We only just launched, but our dedication to establishing the business and making connections has already paid off for us. We’re going to keep building our business and getting our name out there because a big part of the business is going to be bringing awareness to NEPA and giving back to the community.

Matt: And we still have a lot of personal growth and action as we start the company. We want to grow ourselves as well as the company. On the personal aspect, we want to be able to give back and represent and show what we can do for the area.

Where do you see NEPA heading in the future?

Matt: Our entire time through Penn State, we had our teachers talk about TekRidge and all these people who are coming in and trying to invest in the area to make it better. I only see it going up. I can only see NEPA growing at this point, honestly.

Chris: I think revitalization is just around the corner. I think young people are going to get the entrepreneurial bug like we are. They might not even know what that is just yet in terms of what they’re actually going to do, but I think that they’ll quickly realize that there’s still a lot that NEPA has to offer for them, regardless of their background and education.

Why NEPA?

Matt: Personally, I’m rooted here. I want to make this place better for my kids and for future generations as a whole. As for our company, I think there’s a lot of potential here. I think there’s a lot of room here for us to grow and expand and to establish ourselves and maybe attract more people who see us and say, ‘Hey, if they can do it, we can too.’

Chris: Just to add onto that, my family has been here for generations and lived through so many different time periods in Northeastern Pennsylvania. That has just made an impact on me that I want to continue. And now in light of what we’re doing professionally, potentially be the next chapter of industry in NEPA. I think esports is such an untapped thing locally and nationally. Why not make it here?