People Behind BLAST: Chrystina Martel

I was recruited in August 2022 - I was actually in the midst of planning to move from Germany to New Zealand to do a masters in teaching. My dream since I was a kid has always been to become a teacher. I figured after almost a decade long pit stop in esports, it might be time to get what my parents would call a “real job”. But here we are: I’m still explaining to my family what it is that I do.

It all started when I was still at university - I was studying a wild concoction of subjects, with no real plan for the future. I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I was in no rush to do a masters. Ironically, whilst I love teaching, formal education is not my strong suit at all.

My boyfriend at the time was a huge gamer, and yes, I am exactly that cliche, he got me into gaming and esports. I was absolutely obsessed. I wrote articles for a website called ESFI World breaking down LCS games and it was through their Skype group that I made some friends. One of them suggested that I find a job in esports. Cue the meme of “wait, you’re getting paid?”! I didn’t realise it was a career at all - this was back in 2013, and I just assumed that everyone did it for fun, like me…

So one of the guys, Phil Hübner, he put a good word in for me at EFG (back then it wasn’t even ESL, it was still Turtle Entertainment GmbH) and low and behold, I was hired as a PR intern. PR was really just a foot in the door - I didn’t have aspirations in that field, I just wanted to work in the industry. The next eight years I tried my hand at a bunch of different things, working my way around different departments. I was a Communications Manager, Partner Manager and Project Manager before finally calling it quits. Those titles don’t really do it justice though - I tried my hand at everything from being a League Ops admin to implementing GDPR processes, from creating and pitching esports concepts for AAA publishers to writing articles and tweeting game coverage on various brand accounts… if I were to ever list it all, you’d never believe it.

Eventually I decided it was time to put esports behind me… or so I thought. Nicolas Estrup reached out and recruited me in the midst of my New Zealand planning and offered me my perfect esports job. So I continued packing up my bags, but instead of shipping them to New Zealand, I loaded them in a car and drove up to Copenhagen from Cologne!

Same same, but different. The benefit of having moved around so many different departments is that I feel like it’s given me a very holistic view of how everything comes together.

In my job as EP, it’s all about defining the big picture and enabling teams to deliver towards that vision. I work closely with the Ubisoft team, and together we decide on the direction we want to take Siege X esports in. It’s then on me to communicate that back to the BLAST team and help our teams as best I can to execute the show/season.

Manchester Major in ‘24. No question.

We were working within some pretty tight limitations - but looking at the show you wouldn’t know it. There’s something about being in a situation like that that encourages the best kind of creativity. That opening sequence with the drone?! Our Creative team absolutely killed it. Were we in an industrial hall? Yep. Could you tell? Nope! The crowd was incredible and transformed the space. Our team improvised, adapted and truly overcame - there’s that one moment before the Grand Finals with the spotlights on the players in the crowd… still gives me goosebumps. Oh my god, and the trophy?! Are you kidding? That’s my favourite one yet. Not to mention the vibes. The vibes were immaculate - we were gyming in the morning before a full day of broadcast, stuffing our faces with amazing cake from catering and straight outta left field: I got to meet Danny Brown of all people. Turns out he’s a gamer and he stopped by for a quick visit. Legendary. 

Honestly, I am super excited for the R6 Munich Major in November. We’re trying something completely different with the stage and I think it’s really going to pay off. It’ll be R6 like you’ve never seen before. Also, it'll be the first event of mine that my partner will see, which is super special for me.

So Munich, and of course, preparing for SI in Paris. The pressure is unreal to nail it, and I love that kind of environment. Paris is home to Ubisoft and the whole thing feels like “esports is coming home” - also it’s 10 years of Siege and the first year of Siege X. So much to celebrate and give back to the community.

That’s one of my favourite things about this industry - I’ve gone to so many places that I’d otherwise never have been. Esports has taken me all over the USA & Canada, which has been great. I’ve been to Asia, so very many places all around Europe and even South America.

I’d have to say that Sao Paulo in 2024 was my favourite. Not only was it for SI24, which was a true test of my ability (and a fantastic event to boot!), but it was as if the stars aligned. My friend from primary school in Hong Kong got married in Chile a week and a half after the event, and - because I was sort of in the area - seemed rude not to go! Bagged myself a week’s holiday in Brazil, and a week in Chile. Once in a lifetime, for sure. That plane ride back though… Oof. Over 15 hours I think.

Please no, never in a million years. I definitely couldn’t be a player, I’m a filthy casual! I think that also takes away the coach position, and probably analyst too.. Gun to my head, desk host? Maybe an interviewer? I’d keep my questions short and sweet to minimise camera time, and encourage the experts who know much more than me to speak. There’s no world in which I’m the star of the show - my role is definitely grounded in facilitation. 

I’m big on volunteering - (almost) every week I take a breakfast shift at H17 (a drug consumption room, amongst other things) in Copenhagen. I make and serve breakfast and chat with the visitors. This year also marked my first Copenhagen Pride (I’ve been out of the country for the others) - I signed up as a volunteer and had five shifts across a week and a half, doing a range of different things: manning the merch store, bartending, etc.

I like learning new things, so I’m currently trying to teach myself Spanish. I went through a phase of trying to learn to surf skate and skateboard (I’ll have to pick that up again, I’m super rusty and my boards are getting dusty, ha!). Mostly I just like trying and experiencing new things.

This year alone I’ve discovered my love of theatre and ballet, attended a few pub quizzes (and won one!), done some winter bathing, watched some women’s wrestling, cheered on some monster trucks, maxed out viewings at the local documentary film festival (didn’t know I liked them!), went on a gin train (who knew they existed?), went to some concerts, attended a bunch of comedy shows, watched the BMX World Championships, went to some drag shows, walked around a historic car show, attended my first ever music festival… and so much more!