Cloud9 look to tap into collegiate esports with new initiative

North American organization Cloud9 have announced their collegiate initiative after partnering with Uconnect in August 2020.

A range of events and resources with their new partner will run from November in an attempt to foster the “next generation of esports talent.”

Cloud9 University is described as a celebration of collegiate esports and includes panels, a League of Legends tournament, a community Discord server and a college fair.

Sponsorship marketplace Uconnect partnered with the organization in August following an initial activation at the LCS that featured 16 collegiate esports teams.

The Cloud9 Panel Series will take place in November, and will be broadcasted live on the org’s Twitch channel. The two-day event aims to provide insights into the different departments of an organization, how they operate, and what other career opportunities are up for grabs in esports.

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The League of Legends Intercollegiate Tournament will follow the panel in December, with more details set to be released nearer that time. The competition will be hosted on Uconnect’s platform.

Eight universities from the United States will be chosen as affiliates for the program, receiving perks such as early job and internship opportunities and access to exclusive events and resources.

The Collegiate Fireside initiative will see the eight affiliates be assigned with a Cloud9 mentor that will help them host Q&A sessions, resume workshops, and participate in panel discussions.

“Collegiate esports is thriving – we at Cloud9 recognize its potential and want to be a part of uplifting these hard working students with resources and opportunities,” said Cloud9’s CEO Jack Etienne when the partnership was first announced. “We’re excited to see this generation of esports professionals grow.”

The final aspect of Cloud9 University is a youth initiative program called Training Grounds College Fair. Affiliate institutions will be given a chance to show their esports programs to the org’s players, who are stated to have “expressed a growing interest in considering esports programs when selecting colleges.”