National Student Esports (NSE) and Intel have announced a long-term partnership for the second season of the British University Esports Championship, the leading UK esports championship. The commitment will involve investing in foundation esports in the UK, working on a range of initiatives throughout the 19/20 championship season, and more, with further details coming soon, all to encourage growth in the industry.
"We are thrilled to have such a well-established brand like Intel recognise NSE as an industry leader when it comes to university esports," said Jonathan Tilbury, Executive Director at National Student Esports. "NSE's core audience are mostly students enrolled on STEM courses, including a significant number of computer science students. As digital natives and tech enthusiasts, many of these graduates will potentially go on to shape the future of esports, games and tech industries, making this an exciting venture for tech-focussed brands like Intel."
The first season of the British University Esports Championship brought 79 universities and 600 individual teams together to compete over seven different titles - CS:GO, Dota 2, FIFA 19, Hearthstone, League of Legends, Overwatch, and Rocket League. Plans are currently in place to introduce more titles into the lineup in the coming months.
"Intel is committed to the future of esports," said Scott Gillingham, UK Gaming and Esports Lead at Intel UK. "Which as well as creating new technology means supporting grassroots university leagues to hosting major tournaments and investing in the ideas, communities and talent that we believe in. That's why Intel is proud to become the headline sponsor of NSE, to help showcase new and exciting career paths for university students and to show the world that esports is here to stay."
Do you think this is beneficial for the growth of the UK esports scene?