The Canadian Collegiate Esports League (CCEL), a competitive video gaming league formed by Canada’s brightest universities, has officially wrapped up its first-ever esports tournament. The Rocket League tournament was a major success for 15 universities and will shape the future of collegiate Canadian esports.
The tournament consisted of a three-place winners system:
- University of Victoria
- University of British Columbia Okanagan
- University of Manitoba
As part of its expansion, the CCEL will be launching a unique Canadian esports streaming channel called CCEL TV. The official streaming channel will be launching on August 1st, 2021, and will consist of one-of-a-kind esports content, the most forward-thinking brands as sponsors, and a vast network of partners to deliver continuous unique experiences.
“I am proud of the students that participated in the first CCEL Tournament and won! Being involved in this league means a collaboration of Canadian Recreation professionals with the best in the online business at Harena Data,” said Joni Richardson, intramural programmer at University of Victoria. “We have formed a great team, one that is breaking ground and making things happen. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of that. I am excited to watch the league grow and flourish.”
“The University of Lethbridge was very excited to be part of CCEL’s first tournament and it showed with more than 20 of our students registering. I actually didn’t expect that many and am very proud of our participation in the tournament. The feedback from our participants was extremely positive,” said Scott Whiteside, intramural manager at the University of Lethbridge. “They stated the tournament ran very smoothly because of the guidelines set out prior and a great format for round robin and playoffs.They believe the upcoming tournaments and this league will be a great success. I completely agree with this statement and look forward to a very positive future in the CCEL.”
“Canada is such a large country that it is difficult to have extra murals and cross-university competition. The CCEL helps connect the country from coast to coast. A student from PEI can battle against a student from BC in a recreational or competitive e-gaming environment,” said Ryne Bondy, intramural manager at McGill Recreation. “This is something new and exciting for most students and gives them a chance to represent their school on a national level.”
The league will be conducting its next tournament in Fall 2021, which is planned to be a Forza Motorsport racing tournament. Additional tournaments will be planned for the future.
The CCEL is a league controlled and owned by universities, developed for Canadian by Canadians. Using Harena Data’s esports analytics and club management portal, GYO Score, participating universities can organize competitive or casual matches, manage their players and teams, connect with other schools, and keep track of leagues and records.
