Wake Tech invests in esports arena, with eye on national championship competition coming to Raleigh

By Jeff Hogan, anchor/reporter, and Rick Armstrong, WRAL photojournalist

Raleigh, N.C. — Organizers of a first-of-its-kind collegiate esports national championship have chosen Raleigh to host the event April 29 through May 2, 2021, and Wake Technical Community College leaders have demonstrated their eagerness to be a part of it.

The school built a new esports arena in the athletic facility on their southern campus. The room contains the latest in gaming technology.

The original plans were to have the room finished and ready for use last spring. "But as we all know," said the school's athletic director Brian Anweiler, "COVID hit, and it delayed even getting this space developed."

It even delayed plans to recruit a team of student gamers. Now, Wake Tech has the room but not yet a team for the first collegiate esports national championship.

Neil Malvone, executive vice president of Collegiate Sports Management Group said, "We will be bringing about 50 different colleges to compete. We'll have schools from all over the country coming to Raleigh."

Malvone says his company was eager to add collegiate level competition just as it exists with other major sports. "There's tryouts for the team, there's scholarships, there's academic opportunities," he said.

It has also attracted the interest of many junior and community colleges. With Wake Tech's new esports arena, Anweiler wanted Jeff White, executive director of National Junior College Athletic Association of Esports Athletic Association, to see the commitment that the new facility demonstrates.

White was very impressed.

"I'd love the opportunity to show off this space as an example of what can happen with esports," said White.

If pandemic concerns force a change in plans for the event next spring, White says the option is a "virtual" championship.

Either way, Anweiler says, the game is on.

"Coming up soon, we're going to have opportunities for our students to try out for the teams because our plan is to hopefully compete in that national tournament that's coming here to Raleigh," he said.

Anweiler says Wake Tech's esports interest is complimented by the school's "game simulation and design" academic program.