E-Sports at Rheem: A Case for the Future

The historic Rheem Theatre in Moraga may have a new lease on life, thanks to four very creative and business-savvy students from the class of 2019. The students participated in a challenging business case competition, organized by a joint collaboration between Saint Mary’s and the Moraga Chamber of Commerce. School of Economics and Business Administration (SEBA) students researched industry trends and engaged in SWOT analysis, revenue and expenditure forecasting, economic forecasts, and creative strategies to develop their 10-year business case for the Rheem Theatre and to vie for $10,000 in scholarships.

The teams were evaluated on a rubric with the following criteria: competitive advantage, market need, a potential for success, financial needs, and presentation. A unique mix of innovative and creative solutions was presented, including movie theater memberships for students and families; partnerships with local schools; upgraded facilities, such as an arcade, bar, and café; bingo nights; speaker series; party bundles; and more. With each alternative suggested, projected financial outcomes revealed opportunities for positive growth over the 10-year period. “The students far exceeded my expectations,” said Tom Frainier, CEO of Semifreddi’s, one of 12 judges. “I’m a Moraga resident, and I love to see the business community pitch in to help businesses thrive by investing in their own community. I participated because I thought this would be a great opportunity to get back to working with a local college and interact with the potential strong business leaders of tomorrow.

The students put a lot of thought and creativity into their work, and I was really impressed,” said Peter Gruebele, executive vice president with Wells Fargo & Company. The winning business case presented the concept of an eSports Arena that organizes multiplayer video game competitions; eSports is a rapidly growing industry with projected revenues of $1.65 billion by 2021.