MAAC Making NCAA History IN AC With Esports Championships

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) will become the first Division I NCAA Conference to hold its Esports Championships concurrently with their Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships on March 13th - 14th at the Adrian Phillips Theater inside Atlantic City's Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.

“Esports are the gateway to the next generation of college athletics,” said MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor. “Along with scholarships already being offered in esports, the next generation will have opportunities in broadcasting, streaming and other business aspects of gaming. We are providing exposure to esports and believe that those who attend our basketball tournaments will also enjoy the esports competition. It is fun to watch, fast paced and eye-opening.”

Ensor also says that a ticket to either the esports championships or the MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall allows for entry to both, as well as the FanFest in West Hall of the arena.

Seven MAAC schools – Canisius, Manhattan, Marist, Niagara, Quinnipiac, Saint Peter’s and Siena  - will compete in four different games: League of Legends, Overwatch, as well as Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros (SSBU). Stockton University and Rider University will also compete in exhibition matches in Atlantic City. The Philadelphia Fusion, one of the top professional Overwatch teams, will participate and showcase the future of pro gaming at Boardwalk Hall.

The MAAC champion from League of Legends will be seeded directly into Riot League of Legends Championship and will compete for the chance to win scholarships and a national title. Winners of Rocket League and SSBU tournaments gain an automatic bid to the EGF national tournaments.

The Adrian Phillips Theater at Boardwalk Hall will be configured with three stages, each with 18 x 30 foot screens projecting the action.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJDEA) will also host a reception for the esports business community on March 13.

Single session adult tickets are $18 while an all-session package is $28. Student prices are $10 and $15, respectively. Tickets are available on ticketmaster.com. Esports action runs from 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Checkout this week's The Sports Bash MAAC Monday Interview with former Seton Hall Basketball Star and current Saint Peter's Head Basketball Coach Shaheen Holloway