Varsity eSports team coming to NECC in 2019
NECC will have a varsity eSports program for the first time. The eSports team will be joining the athletic programs for the 2019-20 academic year. ESports are a multiplayer video game played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers. Other colleges already have joined the eSports mania and are offering scholarships for their varsity eSports team. NECC will be competing against other colleges and universities, join eSsports tournaments/championships in large arenas and participate in other events regarding eSports. Dan Blair, Director of Athletics said, “We are excited to get in the action of eSports and to provide it for interested students.”
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I would definitely join, I haven’t really tried gaming tournament
–Jason Batista
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Interested students can join or apply online and fill out a form or by going to the Athletics Department. As of now there is not a limit on how many students can join the eSports team; Blair said “there is no limit, as of now we have an open roster” Blair also added that the amount of players allowed to play at the same time in a team depends on the game, “sometimes games can have four player or eight players in a team” Blair said. According to a press release, NECC alum and nationally ranked Fortnite gamer RJ Warnock will lead the eSports program as its first coach.
Warnock, of North Reading, played baseball for Northern Essex before transferring in 2013, the press release said. eSports has one of the fastest growing fan bases in pro sports. eSports are estimated to make 276 million dollars by the year 2022. Alfredo Tejada 20, said he did not know NECC was making a varsity eSports team, but would be interested in trying it out. Tejada said “I like to play video games, but I don’t have the time, I am not one that goes home and starts playing games. I like to play 2K, if that was an option, I would be really interested in joining.”
like to play video games, but I don’t have the time, I am not one that goes home and starts playing games. – Alfredo Tejada
Jason Batista 24 said “Yes! I would definitely join, I haven’t really tried gaming tournament wise, so I would definitely join for that experience, and to connect with people that share a common interest in gaming like me. “I feel like not a lot of people are able to connect in college because we are just going classroom to classroom, and I would join it for that reason as well.” For more information visit the Athletci Department or vist the department’s website at www.neccknights.com.
