The British Esports Association (BEA) has backed up AoC Sport, a go-to organization for college-level sports in England, to host a country-wide FIFA 21 competition in which 52 total colleges will participate, represented by students.
Having already pulled off a success story in terms of a FIFA competition last year, AoC is looking forward to collaborating with the BEA once again in search of what might be a game-changer for college-level esports. Dean Hardman, Director of Sport and Student Experience at AoC Sport, made optimistic statements regarding the upcoming event, "It’s fantastic to be once again working with BEA to increase competitive opportunities for further education colleges and their students across the country. Last year, alongside our members, we were able to engage hundreds of young people to compete and enjoy the many benefits esports can offer. On behalf of our member colleges and their students, I would like to thank the British Esports Association for their ongoing support."
The FIFA 21 event by AoC will ensure that there is an equal and fair representation of students and colleges, therefore establishing separate brackets for PS4 and Xbox One players. Moreover, each college will form teams of three students each, with one captain assigned to lay down a game plan which the team can follow smoothly. The tournament spans from March to May, with the matches taking place on a weekly basis. For the full list of colleges that will be taking part in the AoC Sport FIFA Tournament, you can check out this map.
The idea seems to fit right in with the pandemic still hovering around us, as students will finally have something to look forward to doing while being stuck at home. This is a step in the right direction for esports too, as there has always been a presence of underappreciation for the industry, especially amongst educational institutions. Perhaps with this move by the BEA and AoC Sport, we may see a chain reaction set off worldwide.
Source: GamesPress