NCAA basketball players help unveil new college esports school

MANILA, Philippines – A new avenue in the campus sports scene has emerged with the birth of the Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) aiming to cater scholarship opportunities and career paths for aspiring students through the booming online gaming sport.

Composed of 10 established colleges and universities as pioneer members, CCE has announced its arrival in the collegiate sports industry last week with a launching event of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Varsity Cup (MVC) featuring renowned basketball players.

NCAA rivals Letran, led by Season 95 Finals MVP Fran Yu, and San Beda lead the cast along with Lyceum, Mapua, College of St. Benilde, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Arellano, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta.

The exhibition event, which serves as a return of sorts for varsity players though in an online arena after an extended basketball hiatus due to the pandemic, will run until this Sunday.

The CCE, as the country’s first organized campus-based Esports league, then ushers its inaugural season featuring regular players next year with hopes of creating more scholars through Esports.

“More than the promotion of Esports, our goal here is to provide a platform for students to pursue their academic duties and thrive in the rising Esports at the same time” said CCE spokesperson Waiyip Chong, who was joined by finance head Stanley Lao in the PSA Forum.

Lyceum and St. Benilde, in fact, are among the CCE participants that already have academic programs related to Esports in place as part of adaptation to the world’s meteoric digital trend.

Expecting a success with pioneer members in the metropolis, already in the pipeline for CCE is an expanded Esports league nationwide with talks to other athletic associations including the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI).