News

:

TMU esports on new sponsorships, preparing for summer tournament circuit

Two people sitting down with headphones on, look at computer screens with CPU towers in the background.
As esports continues to see its popularity grow around the world, TMU's teams were able to field more rosters and secure sponsorships. Photo provided by the Toronto Metropolitan University website.
Daniel Centeno - CJRU - Toronto • ON | 13-05-2022
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest
Share on email
Share on print

Esports saw immense growth in interest, participation and sponsorship since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) it was no different for its teams and rosters.

Since emerging in 2014, the campus esports teams continue to bolster rosters with emerging talent that are becoming household names in the sport, according to current president Bensom Lam.

The teams currently showcase 16 rosters for various games and a creative team that has more than 50 members.

Lam, a lifelong gamer, has witnessed the transformation of competitive gaming from select subgroups to a global phenomenon. As he continues to help the expansion of the teams with COVID-19 restrcitions loosening, he also acknowledges the goals acheived this year.

For the campus teams, they secured their own lab on campus with support from Red Bull. One of their bigger achievements was a new sponsorship with Gen.G Esports, one of the leading esports organziations in the world - according to its website, the company is ranked no.6 on the 2021 Forbes list of most valuable esports companies.

While the competitive teams are the first aspect to pinpoint, Lam said the main focus is on building community - this means finding a balance between the competitive and casual members of the community.

Events are catered towards this, both online and in-person. Further, Lam said it is about maintaining connections to both present and past members. The community includes alumni, who are providing members with glimpses of a future career in esports that go beyond the gaming itself.

This includes programming and being part of the design aspects - real world experience for those about to graduate. Some of the alumni Lam mentions include those who work for the onling streaming platform, Twitch, an for Epic Games, whose games include the Gears of War franchise.

For future events, including highlighting the teams during their summer tournaments, Lam said he expects more in-person community engagement and collaborations with the city opening up.

Listen to Bensom Lam's full interview here:

Download Audio