What is your name?
Tricia Megumi Sugita. Many people don’t know my middle name is Megumi, which is why I chose “megumixbear” as my gamer ID.
Where are you based?
Born and raised in Los Angeles, go Lakers!! :)
What you would like to share about your family and job?
I started my career in esports by competing in and streaming Starcraft II, then interviewing and hosting major esports events. I became the Global Director of Esports at Azubu.tv, increasing web traffic to over 12 million unique monthly visitors. At Immortals and LA Valiant I was the Head of Partnerships, securing major partnerships from AEG Worldwide and Omen by HP. I joined FlyQuest in January 2018 as their Chief Operating Officer and was then promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2020. At FlyQuest, I've had the privilege of implementing our company vision of “Showcase Greatness,” and kicking off our GoGreen Initiative. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been working in esports for over a decade now. Do you have any pets?
Kuri, or Kuri-chan is my miracle dog. We rescued her during a difficult time in my life, but I honestly feel like she rescued my family. When my Dad was diagnosed with cancer we were told he had three months to live, and shortly after we found Kuri. Kuri was an 8 weeks old puppy and was in poor condition. Sadly, she was abandoned and thrown off a truck, but she found her forever home with me. She has the sweetest soul and I’m often told that she’s the most well trained dog people have ever met. Kuri is the best and why we feature her in our content, such as “Just Happy” videos. She’s a constant reminder to be grateful and to love others! She’s my baby! <3
How did you start watching/playing LOL?
I started playing League in 2011. At the time, I was playing Starcraft II everyday. After I hosted and interviewed for IGN’s IPL3, I was told that they wanted to renew my contract and have me host IPL4. I was notified that I’d be covering both Starcraft II and League of Legends. I immediately installed League of Legends to familiarize myself with the game that I’d be covering. I’ve always prided myself in working hard and understanding my craft, so it was important to me to understand the game I’d be hosting a major esports event for and interviewing players about.
What does the LOL community mean to you?
The reason I started streaming was because I wanted to make others happy. I wanted to create a safe, positive community and entertain people. As I struggled with my Dad’s passing, I felt a strong sense of adding positivity to the world. I wanted to find a way to help humanity. Esports is where I decided to invest my time and energy. My Bearcubs, aka my beloved viewers have inspired me to do so much. They graced me with happiness, and so I created special things for the esports community. I created Bear Cup tournaments, or amateur community tournaments for my viewers to win Bearpacks, or special prizes I’d send to the winners. I started Bear Cup tournaments for Starcraft II, and eventually expanded to League of Legends. I played more League after hosting IPL4 and while it has its rough moments, overall, the community is awesome. My goal of giving back to the community that’s given me so much remains. My personal goals have only grown at FlyQuest, which is why we’ll continue to Showcase Greatness in everything we do.
What are your other passions? What do you like doing with your time?
Nature inspires me everyday and has a huge influence in my life. Nature represents beauty, growth, and strength. It represents perseverance even in the harshest of conditions. It is a reminder that there is elegance in rising to a challenge. This is why I kicked off FlyQuest’s GoGreen initiative when I was promoted to CEO in January 2020. It represents our commitment to life, growth, and the environment. We are taking steps not only to protect our planet, but also to allow ourselves to be inspired by its beauty and grace.
I’m also an Ikebana sensei, which is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. As a matter of fact, we recently had our first Ikebana Tutorial! One of the core ideas behind Ikebana is gratitude. Appreciating the beauty of nature and hoping others will feel a sense of gratitude when they appreciate your arrangement is my favorite thing about Ikebana. Balance, or moderation is another important aspect of Ikebana. There’s a delicate harmony between the branches, flowers, vase, water, and space that creates perfect harmony in the arrangement. In order to do this, each material must be appreciated and respected in its own form.
I’m also a huge foodie. I love all feeds and I like to treat myself to yummy stuff. Lastly, I’m very into skincare. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen and reapply throughout the day!
I was honoured to have you take part in my blog Tricia. I think you are the very best of what the esports community has to offer. Thank you so much for your time, lots of love LeicesterLadyPerkz xxx