The Rise Of 100 Thieves Gaming Organization:
Mathew “Nadeshot” Haag, the founder and CEO of 100 Thieves, is a man of the people.
It is a fan favorite, YouTube sensation, Call Of Duty Champion, and one of the most influential owners in all eSports.
Mathew “Nadeshot” Haag started his career off working at McDonald's and attending a community college. His parents wanted him to stay in school and get an education, but he had other plans.
From a young age, Nadeshot always seemed to have the upper hand against his brothers in video games, but when the online multiplayer games become the new norm, he was dominating.
Nadeshot won his first Call Of Duty tournament over a decade ago, back in 2009, which then launched his Call Of Duty career into full swing.
As time passed, Nadeshot dropped out of college, quit his job at McDonald's, and joined OpTic Gaming.
After winning numerous tournaments and crushing it on YouTube, Nadeshot decided it was finally time to take matters into his own hands. He wanted more; he wanted to do his own “thing.”
Parting Ways With OpTic Gaming:
Nadeshot officially announced his retirement from competitive Call Of Duty in 2015 and parted ways with OpTic Gaming shortly thereafter. OpTic Hecz, the founder of OpTic Gaming, was Nadeshot’s best friend; they built a dynasty together. When “Nade” left OpTic Gaming, there was a bit of worry that they would no longer be friends, but never doubt the dynamic duo.
Nadeshot went on to stream on Twitch.tv regularly and vlog full time on his YouTube channel, growing it to over three million subscribers. This doesn’t include his second YouTube Channel, “Nadeshot Plays,” where he posted all of his gaming clips and content that surpassed one million subscribers.
Leaving OpTic Gaming wasn’t an easy task for Nadeshot; being out on your own without a brand backing you called for some dark days. Nadeshot has talked publicly about the mental issues he faced as time passed. Day after day, laying on the couch, never leaving his apartment in Los Angeles, where he moved to by himself after he left OpTic.
Dark Nights Bring Brighter Days:
As time passed, Nadeshot realized he needed and wanted to do more. He got back up on his horse and decided to build an empire.
That empire being 100 Thieves.
He had a vision; he had the influence; he had the branding. But what all would 100 Thieves do?
100 Thieves started as an “apparel” company. But as popularity grew, so do the brand.
Nadeshot sought out investors, bringing faces like Scooter Braun, Drake, and Marc Benioff. Nadeshot raised over $25,000,000 to invest and grow his very own brand. 100 Thieves.
Bringing Back Memories:
Nadeshot grew up and dominated the Call Of Duty; he wanted to return to the scene. Nadeshot announced 100 Thieves signed an entire rooster for Call Of Duty, and it was full of talent.
100 Thieves went on to win back to back to back tournaments, but the team quickly dismantled and was no longer.
Call Of Duty imposed a $25,000,000 price tag to join the gaming franchise and have a team. With 100 Thieves still in the funding stages, they had to walk away from the Call Of Duty Community.
But they would return…
OpTic Gaming Gets Sold?
In June of 2019, Optic Gaming was sold to Immortal Gaming Club; Hecz, the founder of OpTic, was no longer the man in charge; in fact, he had no say.
Building something from the ground up isn’t easy; turning it into one of the most recognizable brands in gaming takes time, passion, luck & dedication; Hecz had all of these attributes in his favor. But as investors came in, Hecz had less & less control over the company.
When Hecz lost ownership of OpTic, it hurt; in the announcement video, you could see the pain in his eyes, the pain in the content creator's eyes, and you could tell a fire was lit beneath him.
OpTic Gaming LA was formed, a Call Of Duty team formed under new ownership, Hecz jumped sail & become the co-chairman of NRG Gaming & launched the Chicago Huntsman Call Of Duty Team.
The long-time founder & CEO of OpTic Gaming left the company & went elsewhere, as did all of his loyal fans, subscribers, and content creators. OpTic Gaming, which was always the crowd favorite, slowly began to fail. The Green Wall, the nickname for OpTic Fans, jumped ships, and the Chicago Huntsman blew up overnight.
As the Chicago Huntsman began dominating their matches, winning tournaments, and blowing up once again on YouTube, OpTic was nowhere to be found.
The Return Of OpTic And 100 Thieves:
The new owners of OpTic quickly figured out the investment they had made wasn't working out. OpTic did so well for one simple reason; everyone loved Hecz and the teams he built around it. People weren’t cheering on the OpTic name because it was the biggest; they cheered for the individuals on the rooster, the content creators on YouTube. They cheered because they could feel the love and passion they all presented to the community day in and day out.
On November 11th, 2020, OpTic Gaming was back in the hands of Hecz. Social media was flooded with love and support, everyone knew Hecz would do everything in his power to take back ownership of his baby, and he did.
While OpTic Gaming was no longer in the hands of Hecz, he built Chicago Huntsman; now that he had ownership back, he technically owned two Call Of Duty teams, which isn’t allowed in within the franchise. OpTic Gaming LA dissolved, and Chicago Huntsman became OpTic Chicago. But what about the other franchise spot he still owned in LA?
Hecz sold the OpTic LA Spot to Nadeshot and 100 thieves; he knew he wanted back into the Call Of Duty scene to help his brother out.
Nadeshot and 100 Thieves took ownership over the franchise spot that once belonged to OpTic, launching his very own Call Of Duty Franchise team.
Los Angeles 100 Thieves.
Clothing Line:
Nadeshot launched 100 thieves with the vision of creating something new and different, and he did just that.
100 Thieves started as a clothing brand for gamers, most people thought.
Knowing Nadeshot and the values he stands for, everyone knew the quality control of his new apparel would be top shelf, but how far could he take it?
100 Thieves launched their first round of clothing in June of 2017, just a short time after announcing the company's start.
Everything on the website sold out almost immediately. Full of emotions, Nadeshot knew he had something big, and he had to take action quickly.
Much like the Supreme brand, where clothing drops are limited, and quantity levels always love, 100 Thieves have dominated the merch space entire since the launch of the company.
With each drop increasing in quantity, sellout times were still an issue. Nadeshot strives to create a “limited” product that is of top-shelf quality.
Speaking from the heart, the 100 Thieves apparel I have is by far the best fitting and most comfortable clothing items I have in my closet. Everything fits perfectly; the weight of the clothing, the attention to detail all shows when I decide to throw on one of the hoodies.
Everything Pays Off:
Nadeshot has strived to become the best version of himself since he went “mainstream.” Time and time again, he proves why the community loves him. He cares about his company, his brand, and his image. He cares for himself with a higher standard. When he walks into a room, he elevates everyone around him.
From depression and long lonely days on the couch to a company valued just under 200 million dollars is quite the turnaround, and this is only the beginning.
100 Thieves in 2020 teamed up with CashApp, allowing them to open the 100 Thieves CashApp Compound, where streamers can go to create content, the management, and marketing teams of 100 Thieves can go work, and to top it all off, they can play hide and seek during the workday.
Whether you are a fan of Nadeshot and gaming or not, his accomplishments over the last 4 years are nothing short of a miracle. He has built up a company that he has poured his heart into, he has support from every angle of the gaming community, and he certainly is more than just a “hoodie organization.”