- NACE Starleague is set to become the largest collegiate esports league in North America
- The league is a collaboration between several organizations that will provide students with access to competitive gaming
- Mainline will offer its tournament platform and host tournaments online, making for an accessible experience
A new collegiate esports league is emerging in North America, with NACE hosting the namesake Superleague, which will reunite top esports talent from colleges and universities.
NACE Superleague to Launch in the Fall
College esports in the United States is getting more serious and organized, as NACE, CSL Esports, Nerd Street Gamers, and Mainline have joined forces to host the inaugural NACE Starleague, a competitive format fully dedicated to cater to competitive video gaming played in higher education.
Effectively, this will be the biggest organized esports format for college students in the United States, paving the way for college esports to possibly gain as much popularity as traditional college sports.
The league is important as it gives the opportunity to college students to take their video gaming more seriously, something that has not always been in the focus of varsity programs focusing on esports. That may now change as NACE, or the National Association of Collegiate Esports, reuniting over 600 colleges and universities with a student base of 14,500 people who study in varsity programs, is looking to promote more competitive opportunities.
The Collegiate StarLeague is also joining the efforts to help the local ecosystems develop, tying into a greater overall structure. NACE Starleague is scheduled for the fall this year, with tournaments and events forthcoming as early as August.
Commenting on the developments, NACE executive director Michael Brooks has said that the partnership with all member organizations will help build a focal point for collegiate esports, the largest in North America and the United States.
“Working together with some of the biggest powerhouses in the collegiate esports industry enables us to bring the greatest value to students and administrators while maintaining the institutional voice for students and staff,” Brooks added.
Esports College Begin to Build Ecosystem
To make sure everything is on point, NACE has attracted help from Nerd Street Gamers, an experienced esports organization that can provide advice, expertise, and overall guidance and helps with broadcast operations, hosting live events, and offering recommendations on hosting team facilities.
All events that take place online will be played through the Mainline tournament platform. The orchestrated effort will allow collegiate students in North America to truly get their hands on a variety of options and play on all levels, including varsity, junior varsity, or club.
College esports is still focused on educating future professionals who are interested in finding a job in event organizations, broadcasting, or more serious aspects of life in the esports industry. Gaming has taken a backseat as colleges are reluctant to focus on the purely competitive side of esports, but with the league now available as a concentrated effort, attitudes may change.
