Two-Day LAN Event for College and High Schools will Officially Kickoff the NECC Season
On the heels of its extremely successful High School Showcase LAN event, the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) has announced plans for its next in-person LAN - The NECC Kickoff Classic. The three-day event will be held in conjunction with Bethel University. The event will take place August 28-29, 2021 at the beautiful new Bendix Esports Arena and Gaming Center in South Bend, Indiana.
The Kickoff Classic is the first event in the NECC's Hometown Series of LAN events. The scholastic esports LAN will be open to both collegiate and high school programs and all competition will take place at the beautiful, state-of-the-art Bendix Arena which opened earlier this year.
The event will serve as the official start to the NECC’s Year One of collegiate competition.
This in-person LAN is for both high school and collegiate players and teams to compete and showcase their skills across a handful of titles. The Kickoff Classic will also feature a college fair as well as educational panels. Panelists will include esports industry professionals, college esports representatives, and NECC staff members.
More details on the Kickoff Classic, including the titles that will be offered, the final schedule of events, the colleges and high schools that will be attending, and the prizing will be announced in the near future.
“We’re obviously extremely excited for our first official scholastic LAN event,” said NECC Commissioner Jacob VanRyn.
“After our recruiting event which we helped host recently, our team was super excited for the next in-person LAN. Collaborating with the staff at Bethel University and everyone at the Bendix Arena has been tremendous and we’re working diligently to offer what we hope will be a tremendous weekend. The ability to bring in members of the NECC for our first-ever in-person competition, as well as other collegiate programs in the area is something we’re really looking forward to. Add in the ability to offer a quality event for high school players and we can’t think of a better way to officially launch our ‘Year One’.
"We’re really excited to partner with the NECC to host this event at Bendix Arena,” said Dan Wort, Esports Director at Bethel University. “We’re looking forward to a great weekend of competition and fun."
“The residents of South Bend are excited to welcome the student-athletes, parents and fans of the NECC in August,” said Jeff Jarnecke, South Bend’s Executive Director of Venues.
“The Bendix Esports Arena was created to host tournaments just like this and we are grateful to play a part in the continued success of the NECC. From gaming to dining, we are committed to making the tournament a first-class experience and South Bend a destination for years to come.”
“The Kickoff Classic is going to serve as our true launch event,” said Caleb Glube, NECC Director of Esports. “We’re excited to put on a first-class event in a first-class facility. I can't wait.”
For more information, including on how to register for the event, please contact Jacob VanRyn (jacob@neccathletics.com) or Caleb Glube (caleb@neccathletics.com)
To learn more about the Bendix Esports Arena, please visit their website at https://bendixarena.com/
For more information on Bethel University’s esports program, their website can be located at the following address: https://www.bupilots.com/sport/esports
ABOUT NECC ESPORTS
The NECC began sponsoring esports in the fall of 2020. The NECC is currently sponsoring both regular season competition and championships across a wide variety of titles. The conference aims to serve the gaming community with respect and is a safe and inclusive environment. With more than 90 colleges and universities currently competing in the conference, the NECC is proud to be a positive home for the collegiate gaming community. For more information, please visit necc.gg
