Collegiate Esports Competition Offers Over $500,000 in Scholarships
This year, collegiate esports has reached new heights with universities introducing scholarship programs for aspiring pro gamers. However, the teams participating in the biggest collegiate esports competition don’t need these scholarships as prizes this season will exceed $500,000.
Riot Games has recently announced the return of the North American Collegiate Championship (NACC) for its third season. The championship, which focuses on League of Legends, will have an expanded format similar to the League Championship Series (LCS).
Last year, the championship witnessed the participation of over 1,600 teams from 300 schools. A similar number of competitors is expected this year. However, Riot Games plans to invite only the best eight teams from each of the four regions, allowing fans to easily follow their favorite teams.
In order to create a more engaging collegiate experience, the NACC will feature four conferences – Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western – with weekly matches between the top 32 schools. This will replicate the excitement seen in traditional college sports.
The regular season, running from January to February, will consist of seven weeks of intense gaming. The top four teams from each conference will then compete in their respective conference championships, with the winners advancing to the NACC Final in April.
All 32 teams that qualify for the regular season will receive scholarship money to cover their education. Even teams in the bottom half of the standings will earn $1,000 per player, while the top collegiate squad will receive $30,000 each. The scholarship prize pool for the entire NACC totals $540,000.
Registration for the championship opens on October 5 and is available to U.S. and Canadian students aged 17 or older. Participants must be in good academic standing and have a League of Legends account in good standing eligible for ranked play.