Exclusive interview with Yalla eSports co-founder Klaus Kajetski

“Yalla eSports” is the name Klaus and his friends got for their young organization which marked the next step for them. What started as a small gaming community soon became a brand that represents several teams under its logo. We take the time to talk to co-founder Klaus in our interview which you can check out below.

I would like to welcome you Mr. Klaus with us today in this exclusive ESME interview. It’s great to have you here with us seeing the success of your young organization Yalla Esports!

Thank you for having me! I’m very grateful for the reputation and amount of interest Yalla eSports is getting among the gaming community in the region. We are working hard to improve the local eSports scene!

First I’d like to go through the basics. What can you tell us about you personally to introduce yourself to our readers?

I’m Klaus “Klasu” Kajetski, 30 years from Finland and a Dubaiian for over 5 years. You might see me coaching (or shouting) by day as the team manager and co-founder of Yalla eSports, or spinning records at your favourite Dubai hot spot by night.

Yalla Esports. It’s a community, team, organization. How did it all started what motivated you guys to start something like this? And what’s the story behind the name “Yalla”?

It all started from Hearthstone. I organized small local Hearthstone fireside gatherings, purely out of passion for the game and an urge to meet other players. The gatherings grew larger and a community was born around these meetings.

Years passed and I becamse frustrated with the local eSports scene, comparing it to my origins in Finland and Europe. With passion and 10+ years of eSports experience I gathered a team from our community to build the future pinnacle of local eSports. I found the perfect mix of 3 different backgrounds in Advertisement, IT and Entertainment, all united as gamers. We speak 5 different languages and our diversity makes us a dream team behind the Yalla brand.

The story about our name begun with hours of brainstorming, dozens of decent names, until my desperate cry; “Yalla let’s pick one!”. It stuck on from that day onwards and luckily represents the local aspect on an international level, yet is easy to remember!

So you’ve got an amazing Overwatch roster that caught our attention us with its performance. Can you give us a quick background on each player and how you gathered them to form this team?

When Yalla eSports was born, it was clear to me that the first team based game I want to look at is Overwatch. The game has such potential and as a Blizzard enthusiast it was the natural choice.

After two long months, 100+ applications, 2 full days of LAN try outs we found our final roster of 6 talented Overwatch players from the United Arab Emirates. To put the end result into perspective, our combined score in official local and regional tournaments is currently 35-0, we have not dropped a single map point and won 22 500 AED in cash prizes.

What does it feel like being from different nationalities? How does it affect the relationship between players and are there any language or cultural barriers at times?

Our management and teams are multi-cultural, that’s so normal in Dubai I never even thought about it being a problem. It’s more a strength as I can bring experience and connections from the Finnish and European eSports scene to the team.

It’s the most beautiful thing about Yalla. Management, players (Overwatch, Hearthstone, FIFA) and community have over 20 nationalities. That’s what makes Dubai what it is. Our Overwatch roster hosts 5 Emiratis, and an Iraqi, complimented with me as a coach from Finland. Yet the teamwork is flawless and communication is on point.

Yalla Esports seems like a good investment but it might seem much for one person or a small group of people to fund. Is there any source of crowd funding or is it all “pocket money” if we can say that?

Yalla eSports is an investment of passion, experience and money by 3 friends, from gamers to gamers. Obviously we are very grateful for the support we get from our amazing players, community and partners. Without them this would not be possible, and frankly not worth the endless hours of work we put into building Yalla eSports to what is is today.

What are Yalla’s plans for the future and how do you view the current Esports market in the region?

I’m really happy to see teams and sponsors getting more active and interested in eSports lately. I like to think we started a community driven movement and have been supporting other teams and players to take the next step towards a more organized and professional eSports scene.

What is the best to stay connected with Yalla eSports and be part of the community?

The obvious answer is to find us on your choice of social media @ Facebook, Twitter. But if you really want to know whats is happening behind the scenes with Yalla eSports and be part of our awesome community, join the discussion on our discord server.

It’s a public forum where everyone can chat with our players, join pick up games and make new friends with gamer from the whole region.

Any last words, recommendations and advises you’d like to send to our readers and viewers?

We are always looking for new talent in form of players, coaches, casters, content creators and streamers. If you dream and are passionate about becoming a professional in the eSports industry, don’t hesitate to let us at Yalla eSports know! Remember you only have one first impression so make it count, Yalla!

Thank you so much for giving us a bit of your time today. We wish the best of luck to you and your team in fulfilling your goals and dreams!