Barnes & Noble College Partners with American Video Game League to Launch Autumn Anarchy Fortnite Tournament
July 08 2020 - 10:00AM
Business Wire
Barnes & Noble College to Serve as
Exclusive Access Post for Gamers to Sign Up for Tournament
Barnes & Noble College, a Barnes &
Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) company, today announced it has
partnered with the American Video Game League (AVGL), a BoomTV
company, to launch Autumn Anarchy, a first-of-its kind college
esports tournament. Autumn Anarchy will invite more than 500 gamers
nationwide to compete in qualifying tournaments for the popular
gaming title, Fortnite, as millions of fans tune in to watch the
action. The tournament winners will receive $10,000 in scholarship
prize money and gain entry into “Code Red,” one of the largest
influencer esports events in the industry.
Esports, competitive online video gaming, bring together gamers
from around the world, as different leagues and teams play against
each other in popular video games. Fans tune in through streaming
platforms, such as Twitch, to watch their favorite gamers compete
in real-time. Esports have gained massive popularity in the past
few years, with viewership of games further increasing as a result
of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced many to remain
in their homes in an effort to social distance.
“Colleges and universities worked hard to ensure students’
academic journeys went uninterrupted in light of COVID-19 campus
closures. It has been far more difficult for schools to continue
fostering social engagement amongst students when so many are at
home,” said Lisa Malat, President of Barnes & Noble College.
“Esports provide a phenomenal opportunity for students to come
together, regardless of where they may be in the Fall. In
partnering with the AVGL to create Autumn Anarchy, we can help
drive connection and engagement amongst student gamers, and also
drive further attention for college esports communities, which
continue to grow with the addition of teams and even majors at
institutions nationwide. We are very excited for the Autumn Anarchy
tournament to begin, and look forward to seeing which gamers come
out on top.”
Beginning in early September, Barnes & Noble College’s
digital and in-store media channels will serve as the exclusive
access point for student gamers to sign up for the Fortnite
tournament via a dedicated email or QR Code sign featured at the
front entrance of more than 150 participating Barnes & Noble
College campus stores. An online qualifying tournament hosted on
AVGL.org will kick off in September, and the top college teams will
move forward to compete in an online championship livestreamed on
Twitch in October. The winners of Autumn Anarchy will win $10,000
in scholarship prize money and gain entry into Code Red, the
largest influencer esports event in the industry, where top talent
such as Ninja, Shroud, NickEh and others compete with amateur
gamers.
“We are thrilled to join Barnes & Noble College in providing
college gamers with the opportunity to connect and compete during
these challenging times," said Victor Suski, General Manager of the
AVGL. "Our virtual college hubs offer the most simple, automated
approach to developing esports events, content, and communities.
The combination of AVGL technology, Code Red and Barnes & Noble
College provides unprecedented reach for partners and experiences
for college gamers."
With an audience of millions of college esports fans and the
participation of elite influencers, Autumn Anarchy provides the
unique opportunity for brands to drive awareness and excitement
amongst a growing demographic. Brands will have an opportunity to
sponsor this Fall 2020 collegiate esports initiative with custom
branded integrations throughout the tournament. The branded
sponsorships will reach millions of Gen Z college esports fans and
players nationwide, allowing brands to secure a spot in the heart
of the action of this exciting pop-culture phenomenon and tap into
the intersection of college, gaming influencers and esports. For
more information about partnership opportunities, please contact
Lori Cohn at lcohn@bncollege.com.
About Barnes & Noble Education
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) is a
leading solutions provider for the education industry, driving
affordability, access and achievement at hundreds of academic
institutions nationwide and ensuring millions of students are
equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Through its
family of brands, BNED offers campus retail services and academic
solutions, a digital direct-to-student learning ecosystem,
wholesale capabilities and more. BNED is a company serving all who
work to elevate their lives through education, supporting students,
faculty and institutions as they make tomorrow a better, more
inclusive and smarter world. For more information, visit
www.bned.com.
About the American Video Game League
The AVGL is a leading youth and collegiate esports organization
that supports over 1,000 academic institutions. The AVGL enables
the growth of gaming communities through events, content, software
tools, and scholarships.
The AVGL is owned by BoomTV, a leading esports entertainment
platform serving 75k+ gaming influencers and communities. BoomTV
offers the most automated solution to creating esports events and
content. BoomTV is renowned for its influencer relationships and
Code Red events, where fans get to play alongside the industry's
best players.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200708005597/en/
Carolyn J. Brown Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
and Public Affairs cbrown@bned.com 908-991-2967
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