(DANBURY, Conn) The ECAC and Riot Games, creator of League of Legends, announced today a three-year partnership to launch ECAC League of Legends. Twenty ECAC member schools will participate in the league, with competition to commence in January. The ECAC League of Legends champion will earn a spot in the National League of Legends tournament and play for the right to participate in the League of Legends College Championship.
“Since we started talking to the ECAC in 2017, it was obvious that they would be a trailblazer in college esports,” said Michael Sherman, Head of College Riot Scholastic Association of America. “After discussing the space closely with them the last few years, we’re thrilled to have them as one of our partners in the 2020 College League of Legends Season.”
“This is the next logical step for our rapidly growing ECAC Esports national profile,” said Dan Coonan, CEO and Commissioner of the ECAC. “We are thrilled to formalize this relationship with Riot Games, which further elevates the stature of our entire ECAC Esports effort.”
ECAC Esports has grown in less than three years to include over sixty member colleges and universities, sponsoring a competition in eight esports games and fielding nearly 300 teams. The ECAC Esports Championships last year in Albany at the HV Gamer Con had 2500 people in attendance over a two-day period. The ECAC sponsors esports competition in both fall and winter, and the addition of esports has dramatically expanded the geographic footprint of the conference nationally.
League of Legends is the most played PC video game in the world and is immensely popular on college campuses. ECAC League of Legends competition will commence in January and conclude in early April.
ABOUT THE ECAC
The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an eighty-two-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions – I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC’s esports platform is growing and now totals more than sixty colleges and universities, and is expanding the geographic footprint for the conference nationally. The ECAC is also sponsoring competitions and leagues involving other varsity and club sports that do not fall under the umbrella of the NCAA.