by Drew Malihan
MANILA - With the ongoing Mobile Legends Varsity Cup (MVC)
wrapping their exhibition round late in November, the Collegiate Center for
Esports (CCE) opened up their plans for the forthcoming inaugural season of the
intercollegiate competition.
CCE Finance Head Stanley Lao and spokesperson Wayip Chong discussed
their vision in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday
“Ang mga esports players, mga professional, hindi matagal
ang buhay nila,” Lao quipped. “Ginawa namin ito [para] makakapag-aral sila
habang maging professional player sila ng esports so kapag nag-retire sila,
tuloy ang buhay nila.
“Ginawa namin sila na player from the schools, na scholar
sila ng school nila, para mag-aral sila,” Chong added, saying that future
players of CCE should maintain good academic standing to be eligible to play.
Lao revealed that the MVC is a step towards the first season
of the CCE as a collegiate esports league and will help future players and
teams.
“After nitong Varsity Cup, which is November, after niyan
January, umpisa na ng Season 1 namin,” Lao stated. “Ang mahalaga dito, marami
tayong natutulungan, tsaka nareregulate ang paglalaro ng mga bata.”
Both Lao and Chong expressed their desire to expand to more
schools other than the 10-team National Collegiate Athletic Association, as
well as to include more esports labels in the competition, as they secured
first a partnership with Mobile Legends developer Moonton.
“Sa ngayon si CESAFI (Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation,
Inc.), nasa pipeline namin, meron ding ibang provinces,” says Lao, as well as
baring future negotiations with MMDA and an unnamed party-list. Chong added
about the expansion of esports names in the future, “Yung Valorant, na-consider
din namin, tsaka NBA 2K.”
Both Chong and Lao stated that they are also open to expand
the CCE to include female players and create a women’s division of the
competition .
The Mobile Legends Varsity Cup is a 10-team tournament formed
by members of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Teams, with players such as Fran Yu and
Jeo Ambohot from Letran Knights, Kenneth Villapando from San Sebanstian Stags and
Carlo Lim from College of Saint Benilde Blazers vying in for the top prize,
with MVC concluding in a four-team playoff after a single round-robin later in
November.
Follow him on Twitter: @drewmalihan
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