Events DC Launches Mid-Atlantic Esports Conference

Events DC will launch its own collegiate esports conference in partnership with Game Gym that will host competitions and other esports programs for colleges and universities in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

The Mid-Atlantic Esports Conference will be designed to create local rivalries and foster friendly competition among the participating universities and support the development of esports programs through cash prizes, scholarships and donations of computers and other gaming gear. Twelve schools will compete in the inaugural spring 2021 season playing League of Legends, Rocket League and Overwatch.

“Events DC is proud to support our regional collegiate esports community by partnering with Game Gym to launch this new Conference,” said Gregory O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. “Washington DC is a vibrant and dynamic hub for sporting and cultural events that can’t be found anywhere else – and esports is an increasingly important component of that ecosystem. We look forward to expanding our engagement with the esports community through our partnership with Game Gym and our role as co-founder of the Mid-Atlantic Esports Conference.”

Game Gym is an esports training center that offers “a healthy and holistic approach” to video games, with live and online structured sessions and professional, certified coaches to help young children and teenagers in their esports pursuits.

“The Mid-Atlantic Esports Conference will raise the level of competition here in the region, and help support the growing esports programs at colleges and universities throughout DC, Virginia, and Maryland,” said Game Gym CEO Josh Hafkin. “We are proud to launch this conference in partnership with Events DC.”

The 12 schools that will compete in the first season are:

• Catholic University of America
• George Mason University
• Hood College
• Howard Community College
• Marymount University
• Mount Saint Mary’s University
• Northern Virginia Community College
• Old Dominion University
• Randolph College
• Randolph-Macon College
• Shenandoah University
• Virginia Commonwealth University

“It is great to see the formation of an independent esports conference for institutions of higher education starting here in the Mid-Atlantic area,” said Joey Gawrysiak, director of esports at Shenandoah University. “We are looking forward to increased competition and professional development opportunities around esports, as we all continue to build up esports and make the Mid-Atlantic region a leader in the collegiate esports space.”

The conference also intends to develop and manage other programs to support esports at participating schools, including an online resource to promote available internships in the industry, a “College Combine” for high school students to learn more about the participating universities and an internship and job fair for students to learn about other potential professional opportunities.