Kent State Esports to Brand Streaming Pods Inside New Cavs Legion Esports Center
Cleveland, OH – Cavs Legion Gaming Club (GC), the NBA 2K League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has teamed up with Kent State University Esports in a unique new partnership designed to help grow and strengthen the local gaming community in Northeast Ohio, as well as promote the university’s newly launched collegiate esports program.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to team up with Kent State University Esports as we continue to build, support and engage the esports community in Northeast Ohio,” said Jonathan Sumers, Cavaliers and Cavs Legion senior director of esports. “Bridging the gap between the collegiate and professional level of esports is an important next step in our growth, and we couldn’t be more excited to have Kent State Esports by our side to help us do this.”At the core of the partnership will be the utilization of the recently launched Cavs Legion Esports Center in Cleveland’s Battery Park neighborhood. Kent State Esports will have exclusive branding of the facility’s two sound-proof streaming pods by way of a backdrop that features their logo. The streaming pods will be used for around-the-clock content creation to broadcast on Twitch, YouTube and other streaming platforms for viewers across the globe. In addition, Kent State Esports will have access to the facility for team practices, as well as to host custom events, educational programs and more throughout the year.
Launched in the fall of 2018, Kent State’s Esports program has met an active demand by students for an organized esports presence. The program competes across four varsity titles: Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League and Hearthstone. Last year, Kent State fielded 24 varsity players (who received scholarships) and 20 junior varsity players in three collegiate leagues: Tespa, Collegiate Star League and College League of Legends.
Cavs Legion will also work collaboratively with the Kent State Esports teams to produce creative content, as well as give their players a hands-on look at the number of job opportunities that exist within the burgeoning esports industry.
“Our new partnership with the Cavs Legion Gaming Club will provide Kent State students access to a state-of-the-art gaming space and put them in touch with experts who can help to improve their skills,” Kent State President Todd Diacon said. “Esports is a new and growing area for our students. The skills our team members learn through competition and practice help to prepare them for a wide variety of careers, including sports management, game design, statistics and sports psychology. In addition to our players, this new partnership with the Cavaliers will help to raise the national and international profile of Kent State, as well as our esports team.”
Cavs Legion unveiled plans for a state-of-the-art Esports Center in Cleveland’s Battery Park neighborhood last month. The center, which is set to open this fall, will serve as the practice facility for Cavs Legion and will be open to the public for organized gaming competitions, tournaments and events. The over 2,700-square-foot venue with views to Edgewater Beach will feature state-of-the-art gaming technology, full-service broadcast capabilities to produce livestreams and content, as well as other amenities to create a comprehensive esports and gaming experience unlike any other in Northeast Ohio.