Franklin, IN -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/07/2019 --From June 21-June 30, nearly a dozen nationally accredited universities will offer esports summer camps and combines for prospective students and players seeking esports scholarships nationally. The NACE Summer Camp Series is the result of a strategic partnership between the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and Harena Data Inc (GYO Score), to promote the burgeoning collegiate esports scene by aiding in player improvement, recruiting and data analytics in college esports.
Beyond the summer series, the NACE and GYO partnership will bring much-needed player statistics and schedule coordination to the esports collegiate circuit. "In a few short years we have seen collegiate esports grow at an incredible pace. However, the tools and services colleges and universities need to be successful, many of the same tools we see widely used in traditional athletics, has been lacking" said Michael Brooks, Executive Director of the National Association of Collegiate Esports. "Our strategic partnership with GYO puts some incredibly powerful tools back into the hands of our members to not only improve the way they recruit student but also how they manage their teams and interact with other institutions. These new tools that leverage the strength of our network within the association will be a tremendous help to the future success our members will see in the years to come."
The NACE Summer Camp Series will be held in at least 8 NACE affiliated schools across the U.S. During the events, students play competitive esports titles in a combine format in order to set statistical benchmarks for themselves and to create data baselines from which to improve their game. During the event, they will receive oversight and assistance from official college coaches and program directors. Once the event concludes, players will have created a scouting report for their play styles and strengths, which will become the foundation of their recruiting profile as schools begin to consider offering scholarships to their program.
The term "combine" usually refers to a sporting event which is a physical analysis of player conditioning to determine raw speed, strength and skill levels of a competitor. For esports combines, many of the same principals apply, but with a digital scope. Using proprietary data analysis tools, GYO analyzes raw gameplay performance statistics and gameplay footage to create a comprehensive profile of a player's skill levels. These abilities are assessed and put on display for coaches, scouts and whomever would be interested in watching the evaluation of the esports competitor. For the competitors, it is a chance to display their abilities and talents within a specific game or genre.
"Esports is the only professional sporting concept that has built a pro system without any real considerations towards a farm system or a path to pros for aspiring competitors," said Shawn Smith, CEO of Harena Data Inc. "Through these combine and summer camps, we can build the foundation of esports by giving players a true sense of where they are in the skill landscape and how they can progress forward."
Both NACE and GYO believe that schools and colleges are an important piece of the path to pros, with over 140 colleges offering around $15 million per year in scholarships for esports students, much like traditional athletics scholarship recipients. NACE is a member-driven organization that focuses on the positive development of esports programs at the collegiate level and advocates for members to create varsity programs that include scholarships for its participants and a strong institutional commitment to esports. 153 post-secondary institutions currently belong to NACE.
While the initial event is limited to select schools, NACE and GYO intend to expand the program in the future to make it more widely available to students in all regions.
About NACE
NACE is a member driven organization that focuses on the positive development of esports programs at the collegiate level, and advocates for members to create varsity programs that include scholarships for its participants and a strong institutional commitment to the sport. NACE is the only association of college and university sponsored esports programs that promotes the education and development of students through intercollegiate esports. NACE currently has 153 varsity esports programs as members, accounting for nearly all (92%) varsity programs across North America.
For Media Inquiries contact Victoria Horsley at vhorsley@nacesports.org.
About Harena Data, Inc
Harena Data is a Delaware corporation with registered headquarters located in Franklin, Indiana. Founded in 2017, the company has developed GYO Score: a machine learning and artificial intelligence data platform for the esports industry, which launched at the beginning of 2019. The GYO Score esports data analytics platform evaluates player performance and predicts future play potential so players can better develop their skills and get recruited for scholarships or professional opportunities. The principals of Harena Data have a strong background in esports, event management, motion picture production, and telecommunications.
NACE Universities to Offer Esports Summer Camps and Combines for Esports Hopefuls in June
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