Collegiate schools have started exploring the esports scene through the Collegiate Center of Esports’ Mobile Legends Varsity Cup which is set to open its first regular season in January.
Speaking in the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s Forum on Tuesday, Nov. 16, CCE spokesperson Waiyip Chong and finance head Stanley Lao laid out the plans as they partnered with 10 National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) member schools for the Mobile Legends Varsity Cup inaugural season.
“Liga na kami so after nitong Varsity Cup which is November, after nyan January, umpisa na ng Season 1 namin so tuloy-tuloy na iyan kung ilang taon na yung NCAA sana umabot din tayo ng ganun katagal,” said Lao.
CCE has an ongoing Mobile Legends exhibition tournament featuring basketball players from Colegio de San Juan de Letran, San Beda University, Mapua University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, University of Perpetual Help -DALTA, College of St. Benilde, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Arellano University and Jose Rizal University.
In the MVC regular season, these schools will have its own Mobile Legends varsity team composed of five to six student-athletes. CCE is also looking at the possibility of staging an offline event for its first season if given clearance.
The esports organization bared plans of possible expansion as it reached out to other collegiate athletics associations in the country like the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI).
Aside from Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, CCE is also planning to add more esports titles like Dota 2 and Call of Duty in the future.