H3CZ Joins the Ownership Group of Dallas Sidekicks

OPTic CEO H3CZ joins ownership group of Dallas Sidekicks. Credit: Dallas Sidekicks

Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) team the Dallas Sidekicks announced Monday that OpTic Gaming Founder and CEO Hector Rodriguez (H3CZ) has joined the ownership group of the organization.

How much (or if) Rodriguez invested in the organization (or other details of this new relationship) were not publicly disclosed.

According to the announcement, Rodriguez joined the ownership group of the Dallas Sidekicks to help find synergies between the fandom of professional indoor soccer and gaming and esports in an effort to broaden the appeal of the sport and to “ build a passionate and engaged fan base.”

“This is all about connecting the rich traditions of soccer with the ever-evolving worlds of gaming and content,” Rodriguez said in a release. “Together, with the Sidekicks legendary Texas brand, we have the opportunity to bring lifelong and new fans an exhilarating experience.”  

Rodriguez is the latest high-profile addition to the team’s ownership group—he joins former Dallas Mavericks star Eddie Najera, who joined in July.

Rodriguez is best known for founding Optic Gaming—one of the most recognized North American esports organizations in the world—in 2006. He currently serves as the CEO of the company. OpTic merged with another Texas esports organization—Envy—in November of 2021, and in July of 2022 consolidated the teams of both organization under the OpTic brand. 

In addition to his responsibilities at OpTic, Rodriguez also is owner and adviser to lifestyle and media company Googan Squad, and golf-focused entertainment and apparel company Good Good Golf.