Collegiate esports tiff to tip off next week

MANILA, Philippines — Esports fans are in for a treat as the inaugural season of the Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) kicks off next week, July 4, with jam-packed action of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

A total of 10 teams, led by Varsity Cup champion Lyceum of the Philippines University, will vie for the first-ever CCE crown.

New student-athletes will be representing LPU, Mapua University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, San Beda Universrity, Letran, Arellano University, College of St. Benilde, Jose Rizal University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, in the historic tiff.

The Varsity Cup, which rolled last year, featured prominent student athletes from men's basketball. This time, though, it will be full-time esports student-athletes at the helm.

The teams will figure in a single-round robin eliminations with the top eight squads moving forward to the playoffs.

Much like the esports pro circuit, the CCE post-season will employ the upper and lower bracket routes.

Winners in the quarterfinals move on to the upper bracket will the losers battle it out in the lower bracket.

The last teams standing in the upper and lower bracket then move on to a best-of-seven grand finals.

On opening day, LPU faces off against Mapua while EAC faces San Beda. Arellano then battles Letran as CSB locks horns with JRU.

San Sebastian, for their part, will be up against Perpetual.

Esports was also featured in the recently concluded Commission on Higher Education Friendship Games last week, backed by the CCE, as a prelude to the season.

There, Ateneo de Manila University reigned supreme among 15 colleges and universities in the tiff.