Cincinnati Fear signs first professional esports athlete
UC grad Stephen Schmidt to compete in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate
CINCINNATI (May 25, 2022) – Cincinnati Fear, the professional sports team competing in esports with players representing the Queen City, has signed its first professional esports athlete to compete in Super Smash Brothers. Super Smash Brothers is a crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo, and primarily features characters from various Nintendo franchises.
University of Cincinnati graduate, Stephen Schmidt, 21, will wear the Cincinnati Fear jersey as he competes in Smash tournaments in 2022. Schmidt, who attended Oak Hills High School, is the #1 top ranked Super Smash Brothers player in Ohio with career earnings totaling more than $10,000. He graduated this spring from UC with a degree in accounting from the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
“We are thrilled to sign Stephen Schmidt as the first professional esports athlete of the Cincinnati Fear and to support him as e professional competes in Super Smash Brothers,” said Jackie Reau, President of Cincinnati Fear. “Stephen Schmidt is our Austin Berry, the first professional athlete signed by FC Cincinnati.”
To follow the Cincinnati Fear’s Super Smash Brothers competition, visit www.Twitch.tv/CincyFear.
The upcoming schedule for the Cincinnati Fear in Super Smash Brothers is:
May 28: Lift-Off Smash Regional in Nashville
June 18: COST Smash Regional in Columbus, OH
July 15: Smash Jam Smash Regional, Richfield, OH
August 11: Smash Con, Smash Major, Chantilly, VA
August 26: SHINE Smash Major, Worcester, MA
September 9: Riptide Smash Major, Sandusky, OH
October 6: Big House Smash Major, Detroit
November 11: Apex 2022, Smash Major, location TBD
December 2: Mainstage Smash Major, location TBD
Additional local and regional tournaments will be added throughout 2022.
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Cincinnati Fear is Cincinnati’s fourth professional sports team competing in esports with players representing the Queen City. Professional, collegiate and high school players of Cincinnati Fear will compete in tournaments and live events with titles such as League of Legends and Super Smash Brothers, among other titles to be added in the fall.
Cincinnati Fear is one of a few female founded city-based esports company in America and will work to provide equal opportunities for women and girls in esports.