Online tournament organizer ESL announced they have entered a partnership with National Student Esports (NSE). The two entities will collaborate together on various objectives throughout the 2019 – 2020 academic year to “engage students” in the esports scene.
National Student Esports
The partnership between the two companies is only implemented for students across the United Kingdom. The National Student Esports organization currently runs the British University Esports Championship. This tournament is similar to CSL Starleague or Tespa’s collegiate league in the United States.
“Universities have always been a hub for the next generation of talent in any emerging industry and it’s no different for esports,” said Jon Tilbury, the Executive Director of National Student Esports. “We’re excited to work with ESL in creating opportunities for students whether they aspire to be a professional player or working behind the scenes to produce some of the world’s biggest tournaments.”
Students in the UK will similarly be able to represent their university and compete in games like League of Legends and CS:GO. The partnership’s first event involved a workshop hosted by technology company Intel. Energy drink brand Monster Energy is another company that has endorsed the British University Esports Championship league.
Electronic Sports League (ESL)
“We are very excited to start working with NSE in such a positive and engaging way for university students,” commented Heather Dower, the Marketing and Communication Manager at ESL UK. “Working closely together is going to be crucial for the future growth of the UK Esports industry. We can’t wait to share more details very soon!”
The Electronic Sports League is the world’s largest esports organizer and production company. The Cologne-based company was launched in 2000 and has since attracted millions of viewers. ESL hosts esports competitions around the world with companies like Blizzard Entertainment, Riot Games, Valve Corporation, Microsoft, and more. It has also released its own Anti Cheat to combat online cheating in the competitive esports environment.
Does your university have an esports program? As esports becomes more accepted in the mainstream, many colleges are actively supporting such programs. One example would be the University of California Irvine’s most recent Super Smash Bros. Ultimate scholarship. Let us know in the comments, and keep up with all of the latest esports news and content here at Daily Esports.
