New Jersey Army National Guard Named Title Sponsor of 2020 MAAC Esports Championships
Atlantic City, N.J. (Jan 10, 2020) – The New Jersey Army National Guard has been named the title sponsor of the 2020 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Esports Championships. The inaugural championships are set for March 13-14 in the Adrian Phillips Theater at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
The MAAC Esports Championships will include tournaments in four different games: League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. As the title sponsor, representatives from the New Jersey Army National Guard will have the opportunity to present each winner the championship trophy. In addition, the New Jersey Army National Guard will be featured in signage and branding at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and on the MAAC’s social media platforms.
“The MAAC is excited to announce the New Jersey Army National Guard as the title sponsor of the conference’s inaugural Esports Championships,” said MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor. “We look forward to proudly representing the New Jersey Army National Guard as the league continues to expand its interest in Esports and looks ahead to running successful championships at Boardwalk Hall this March.”
The National Guard dates back to 1636, when Citizen-Soldiers formed militias to defend community and country. Training typically requires one weekend each month, with a two-week training period once each year. Those who enlist learn job skills that translate to the civilian world, make bonds and earn pride that last a lifetime, and can even receive funds towards higher education.
"Esports has become much more than just an activity on campus; it's a student recruitment, engagement, and retention tool, and is becoming an overall marketing tool for college campuses across the country," said Siena College Vice President and Director of Athletics John D'Argenio. "The MAAC's embracement of Esports and giving it a significant platform at our conference basketball championships gives us all an opportunity to showcase our programs and further engrain it in our student recruitment efforts."
The 2020 Esports Championships are held in conjunction with the MAAC Basketball Championships, set for March 10-14. The five-day event will feature the league basketball championships, Esports Championships, MAAC Fan Fest, MAAC Band Jam, Gourmet Dining MAAC ‘n Cheese Fest presented by AC Weekly, Spirit Squad Showcase and more.
"We are all extremely excited at Saint Peter's that Esports has grown so rapidly on our campus,” noted Dave Bryngil, Executive Director of Wellness and Recreation at Saint Peter’s University. “Everyone involved with our program is looking forward to competing in the inaugural MAAC Championships. The fact that the MAAC Esports Championships will take place in our home state of New Jersey is an added source of excitement for our players and staff.”
“Securing the New Jersey Army National Guard as a title sponsor of the 2020 MAAC Esports Championships brings credibility and resources to the conference’s efforts to conduct a high-level competition in Atlantic City this March,” said MAAC Esports Coordinator Kiernan Ensor. “I want to thank The New Jersey Army National Guard for their support of the MAAC student-athletes competing in the championships.”
Admission to the event is included with tickets to the 2020 MAAC Basketball Championships at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. All tickets can be purchased by visiting
ticketmaster.com or by visiting
maacsports.com/basketball.
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are owned and funded by the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Spectra provides both Venue Management and Food Services & Hospitality to Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Van Wagner Sports, the multi-media rights and sponsorship partner of the MAAC, facilitated the development and execution of this partnership.
To stay up to date on MAAC Esports, visit
maacsports.com/esports and follow
@MAACEsports and
@MAACSports on Twitter.
About Atlantic City Sports Commission:
The Atlantic City Sports Commission was officially formed on January 13, 2015 as a 501 (c)(3) organization with the support of Meet AC and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to attract sporting events, conventions and competitions to Atlantic City. For more information, visit
www.atlanticcitysports.org. Follow us on
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram.
About Spectra:
Spectra is an industry leader in hosting and entertainment, partnering with clients to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s unmatched blend of integrated services delivers incremental value for clients through several primary areas of expertise: Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality, and Partnerships. Learn more at SpectraExperiences.com. Follow Spectra on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority:
The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority's mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state's key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA's expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit
www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Facebook at
Facebook.com/njcrda and Twitter at
www.twitter.com/njcrda.
About Electronic Gaming Federation (EGF):
Founded in 2015, EGF is the first to establish unique platforms for youth, high school and Division 1 collegiate esports competitions. With students and education at its core, EGF's youth, high school and collegiate leagues & programs were inspired by the best aspects of traditional sports to create opportunities for students and schools to engage and advance. Divisions of EGF include EGFY (Youth), EGFH (High School), EGFC (Collegiate) programs. For more information or to inquire about collegiate participation, please visit EGFederation.com, follow
@officialEGF on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or contact info@egfederation.gg.
About Van Wagner Sports:
Van Wagner Sports, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Van Wagner Group LLC, creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, properties, and colleges. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and the highest levels of international soccer, sponsorships sales, premium ticketing, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events.
http://www.vanwagner.com/.
About the 2020 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships:
The MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships return to New Jersey on March 10-14, 2020 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. To stay up to date on MAAC basketball, visit
maacsports.com/basketball and follow
@MAACHoops on Twitter.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 39
th year of competition during the 2019-20 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.