Collegiate esports is voluntarily becoming incredibly popular amongst the younger generation, as many schools are beginning to offer full-ride scholarships in exchange for a student’s gaming abilities. Many schools already operate in their own esports league, competing for massive prize pools. Now, though, eight of the nation’s leading universities have established a new conference, bringing collegiate esports to a new level.
8 Leading Universities Establish New Esports Conference
Eight leading universities in the US have banded together to establish a new esports conference titled, the Power Esports Conference (PEC). The league will consist of eight Division 1 schools competing against each other across four separate game titles.
All Universities In The Power Esports Conference:
- Boise State University
- Michigan State University
- Syracuse University
- Ohio State University
- University of Kansas
- University of Missouri
- University of Nebraska
- University of Southern California
“We are proud to help form the Power Esports Conference, a first-of-its-kind collaboration to create memorable and meaningful competitive opportunities for our students, alumni, and partners,” said Christopher Bilski, Director of Esports at Michigan State University. “This conference brings together like-minded institutions to highlight some of the best and brightest in collegiate esports and is a positive step forward in continuing to grow esports opportunities at Michigan State University.”
So many storylines already resonate so heavily within the collegiate esports world. Now, adding such a big conference into the mix, the stakes will be even higher.
“We are elated to help establish this conference and play peer institutions in a fixed season schedule that expands upon our traditional athletic rivalries. The PEC will be a great addition to the other leagues and publisher tournaments that make for a great student experience,” said Dr. Chris Haskell, Head Coach of Esports at Boise State University.
So, when will the season start? And what games will students be competing in?
Related: Best Esports Player Of All Time
Season Start Date And All Games Involved In The Conference
The beginning of the PEC season is September 23, 2024, giving gamers just enough time to prepare for quite the historical first competitive season. With some of the biggest games in esports involved, students should prepare for some intense action.
All Games In The Power Esports Conference:
- Valorant
- Overwatch 2
- Rocket League
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
While there are only four games in the PEC, we could easily see more added to the list if the first season or two shows to be successful.
Stay updated at Insider Gaming for more esports news.
