Butler Opens Esports Park, Will Host Big East Championship

Butler University unveiled its new Esports Park on October 20 with a big announcement — the 7,500-square-foot facility will host the 2023 Big East Esports championships next March.

The Butler Esports Park includes PC and console gaming and event space, as well as office spaces, a studio and production room, and a café.

Butler will host the 2022–2023 Rocket League EGF/Big East Tournament and the spring 2023 League of Legends Big East Championship, both of which are scheduled for March 24–26.

“The Big East Conference has sponsored esports competitions for the past several years and we are very excited to be staging the first in-person conference championships for our gamers at Esports Park next spring,” said Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman. “We applaud Butler’s leadership in this area and expect this spectacular state-of-the-art facility to serve as the perfect venue for our esports participants this year and beyond.”

Nine Big East teams will compete for the Rocket League Conference Championship with the two finalists receiving automatic bids into the EGF Rocket League National Championship. The League of Legends championship will feature a four-team bracket with the winner automatically qualifying for the 2023 Collegiate League of Legends Tournament. Seton Hall won both championships in 2022.

The Esports Park, designed by architecture firm Populous, serves as a hub for tech, gaming and academic communities in Indianapolis. Inside the facility visitors will find high-performance gaming gear, event and coworking spaces, a café, a studio and production room, along with offices for Butler’s partner organizations.

“The Butler University community is proud and excited to showcase our new Esports Park during the Big East Conference Championships in March 2023,” Butler University President James Danko said. “This represents the first of many future competitions that will continue to establish Butler University and the city of Indianapolis as a national leader in esports and sports technology.”