Bridging Esports and Marketing: How Randya Allen Is Creating Opportunities for Black Women in Gaming

In the rapidly evolving world of esports, diversity remains a significant challenge—particularly for Black women and femmes in first-person shooter (FPS) games. Randya Allen, a student in William & Mary’s Online Master of Science in Marketing (MSM) program, is working to change that landscape through her role as social media manager for Sista Shootas, a Black women-owned esports organization.

With family roots in Virginia and having completed her undergraduate degree in the state, Allen eventually found herself in California after extensive travels. When she decided to pursue a master’s degree, she had specific criteria in mind.

“I needed something that was asynchronous because of how much I travel,” Allen explained. “I needed something that was interesting to me, especially for a master’s, and I wanted a program with a level of prestige, particularly with the business school.”

After researching various programs, Allen discovered William & Mary’s Online MSM program, which checked all her boxes. “Within career circles, I’d heard a lot about their MBA programs, so I felt confident the marketing program would maintain that same standard of excellence,” she added.

Allen has already been able to implement knowledge from her courses in real time at Sista Shootas, where she manages social media and marketing efforts for the organization.

“Marketing is storytelling,” Allen reflected. “The best thing about using what I’ve learned is being able to be at the helm to craft and create the story of all our different Shootas and getting to see their development, but also getting to tell that digitally through our different platforms.”

One concept that has transformed her approach is design thinking. “The design thinking process really opened up my brain,” she said. “I now look at every single thing we would like to do in the organization through this lens—especially for our community events. I define what we need, consider whether it will bring more brand visibility or attract more applicants, and then move through ideation, testing and implementation.”

Allen also credits the program with giving her the tools to develop her own professional presence online. “It gave me the agency to really pour into my own personal endeavors and use the skills that I use for other people for myself,” she shared.

Founded in 2021 by Maurisha McSavage, an esports industry professional, on-screen talent and in-game production director, Sista Shootas addresses the lack of diversity in major gaming tournaments. After expressing frustration on social media about the overwhelmingly homogeneous rosters in triple-A game competitions like Call of Duty, McSavage took action.

Allen, who has been with the organization since its inception, explains how Sista Shootas operates: “We have an esports readiness program. Women apply, and once vetted, they become cadets in our mini incubator program. After that trial period, if it’s a mutual fit, they become a full-fledged Shoota in their respective division. We have Apex Legends, Overwatch and Call of Duty divisions.”

Each Shoota works with coaches and captains to develop individualized plans based on their goals, whether improving their kill-death-assist (KDA) ratio, developing leadership skills, or building their social media presence to attract brands and sponsorships.

“We assess what they need and then have a readiness program to get them competition-ready or tournament-ready, whatever they would like to do that’s big on gaming or an esports career,” Allen explained.

Managing time between her role at Sista Shootas and her studies requires strategic planning. Allen has developed effective time management techniques that vary depending on her situation.

“If I’m able to be stationary at my computer, I use the Pomodoro method—25 minutes focused, five minutes break,” she shared. “For each focus period, I concentrate on something different instead of having one overarching goal.”

When she’s on the move, Allen’s approach shifts. “Before my day begins, I’ll take out a sheet of paper and do a stream of consciousness for five minutes, writing down all the different things I need to do. Then I comb through that, find the top three or four things, and make those my priority for the day.”

The fully remote nature of both her work and education has made these time management skills essential, especially since Sista Shootas’ team spans multiple time zones across North America.

As Allen looks toward her graduation, she has clear goals for applying her MSM education.

“What I really want is for this to culminate in getting a major sponsorship for Sista Shootas,” she states. “You can’t skirt the fact that you need money to do certain things and to do them at a certain level. I want to use my newfound marketing knowledge to continue telling the stories of our Shootas and highlight their growth and development.”

Allen’s passion for creating opportunities for underrepresented groups in esports is evident as she discusses the future. “We need spaces that are for Black women and Black femmes, especially in the first-person shooter part of esports. As it becomes more niche, it becomes less and less diverse. There’s absolutely a need for what we’re doing, and it’s really great to be at the helm to foster that and craft that story to showcase to the world.”

Through William & Mary’s MSM program, Allen is gaining the skills and knowledge to not only advance her own career but to help build a more inclusive esports industry—one Shoota at a time.

If you’d like to advance your own career, consider joining the Online MS in Marketing program. William and Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business provides the tools you need to become an effective marketer, including a robust curriculum that includes courses in marketing innovation, evaluation and situation analysis and product management.

You’ll graduate ready to take on a marketing leadership role and make data-driven decisions. To learn more about the Online Master of Science in Marketing and how it can benefit your career goals, schedule a call with one of our admissions outreach advisors today.