Ninja’s transformation from a professional gamer to a sensational influencer of this generation, whose name is hugely known in the gaming industry, was not an easy one. His hours are long, and his work is tiresome. In the midst of all of this, it’s extremely difficult to find someone who understands the fundamental idea behind creating an online brand that has very little time to go ‘offline’.
Yes, in fact, Ninja has been married to Jessica Blevins, who has been the manager and the individual in charge of Team Ninja. The two found themselves in a courtship in 2017, and have been by each other’s side through every aspect of their professional and personal lives without a hitch.
The Waiting Game: A Fairytale Starring Ninja and Blevins
How did the two meet? Well, their story goes way back, and starts somewhat how you would expect it too. The two initially met in 2010 at a Halo tournament and would not have met if either of them had decided not to go that day due to atiresome snowstorm. Although the two met and felt a connection, there wasn’t much to go off on since Ninja was currently dating at that time.
The above picture is actually Blevins interviewing Ninja, at a Halo tournament in 2015. They weren’t together then. To sum it up, Ninja beat his soon-to-be wife’s ex in a Halo tournament and then married her. That’s a gamer moment right there.
Needless to say, Jessica did fancy the man and it wouldn’t be until two years later from the above interview, when she finally had the chance to start dating him. After Tyler broke up with his ex-girlfriend, he would then ask Jessica out, and the rest is history!
Ever since the two reunited, they were able to stick together through, perhaps, one of the most challenging phases of their lives, in which they had to maintain their online presence continuously, and carefully to cater to a vast audience.
Since the two only got closer together from that point on, it wasn’t long before they got permanently hitched in the August of 2017. His long-term commitment finally turned into a sacred marriage in a private ceremony.
Jessica Is Yin to Ninja’s Yang
After the two got married, Jessica continued with Tyler’s brand management. It wasn’t soon before the two were deep into their work, working for at least 15 hours a day! Their bond is definitely not easily found!
While Ninja had the personality, skills, and attraction that most influencers would hope for, he wasn’t cut out for the more ‘professional’ side of his career. When Jessica saw how Ninja was writing his E-Mails, she immediately stepped up to handle his business communications and stepped into the role of management for Ninja.
For many years, Blevins would go on to create intricate strategies that would ultimately land Ninja a lot of sponsors. He even mentioned her perfectionism in his statement to Forbes in 2020,
“She immediately played hard ball with the big boys and acted 10x more professional than I ever could at the time.”
Her best quality?
“She was so eager to learn about the space and always was asking for advice from more experienced people and still does.”
By connecting with the best in the industry, the duo were able to propel themselves forward in the gaming scene. Their fame however, came at a cost.
Ninja’s Notoriety: A Curse or a Blessing?
Everyone holding a controller today knows who Ninja is, and that increased notoriety comes burdened with long work hours. In an interview with CNBC, Jessica explained how the two are constantly working through the middle adulthood of their lives and it prevents them from going on any holidays.
The couple took 6 days off from their vacation, and to quote Blevins, “It was a calculated risk.” However, many years have passed since Ninja’s been streaming and he has gotten a bit more relaxed about his time on air, but still continues to treat it as his full-time job.
Jessica and Ninja both have to manage their professional and personal lives without letting the two intertwine. Since they’re both continuously engaged with each other regarding conversations that revolve around sponsorships and the like, they don’t get much time to themselves either.
What did Jessica do that made it all possible? We’re going to get to her credentials and hard-work shortly, but it’s worth mentioning that she made a schedule that kept Ninja’s life organized. Scheduled streaming times, meetings with sponsors, conferences and eventually some time for the two of them to spend together.
Her managerial skills kept the two of them afloat, where many others have sunk. Ninja’s book even has a special mention of Jessica and how she has been a key part of his long-living success in the industry.
Jessica Blevins, The One
She’s been an avid gamer since she was five years old and has been in the gaming industry well before she even met Ninja. Her early job was to attend different gaming conventions as a brand ambassador, from which she later moved on to Ubisoft’s public relations department. Her degree in Interpersonal Communications and Public Relations paved the way for her successful career.
Her abilities, skills and readiness were hugely sought after, and she would eventually use them to build the Ninja empire to how we know it today.
As of 2022, she would then step down as his manager and sign on with CAA. What incited all of this? A feud with Pokimane. JiDion was banned for raiding Pokimane’s stream, and Tyler decided to contact a Twitch representative to overrule the ban. This didn’t sit well with some people in the community and created a war on Twitter.
Unfortunately, this was the tipping point for Jessica as she would then start leaning away from her position as Ninja’s manager, and focus on her own brand. The two knew this was ultimately inevitable, but considering the duo’s power dynamic and the framework they’ve set up over the years, is more than enough to keep the momentum going.
Jessica has been the woman behind the curtain for Ninja, and has provided him with unmatched support that led to the star’s astronomical success. When it comes to love between the two, their affection is best seen through their unbreakable bond in events, on streams and in person. They both completed each other in the best way possible to create a powerhouse of a brand. Now, that’s a love story.
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