Collegiate esports league plans expansion after two MLBB seasons

MANILA, Philippines — The Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) is looking to widen its horizons after two successful seasons with 10 participating schools in their Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament.

The CCE, one of the country's pioneering collegiate esports leagues, said that it received a slew of inquiries and interests from more colleges and universities to potentially join Season 3 penciled in for mid-2023.

Only establishing itself in September 2021, featuring the 10 NCAA schools Lyceum of the Philippines University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Mapua University, San Beda University, Arellano University, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, College of St. Benilde and University of Perpetual Help System-DALTA, CCE President Stanley Lao said that they are looking forward to reach more young esports athletes.

"We’re grateful, thrilled, and honored to have gained traction from more schools which are seeing the noble cause of helping us advance the Esports movement especially in the collegiate ranks. That’s a welcome development and definitely, a possibility moving forward," he said.

LPU ruled both seasons of the CCE, while also winning the inaugural Varsity Cup that featured basketball players from their respective squads.

The CCE also helped the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) in organizing the Friendship Games, which featured esports for the first time ever.

They also sent teams to compete in an overseas event by staging the MPS SEA Campus Invitational that included teams from Vietnam.

Approaching Season 3, the CCE might open gates for more competition as it eyes to leave no stone unturned in promoting the sport and developing student-athletes who desire to push through professionally with the discipline way beyond the virtual arenas.

“Our ultimate goal ever since has been to champion the Esports scene in the collegiate level, including an unwavering support to schools in enriching in their Esports programs. We are open and willing to lend that hand,” added CCE commissioner Waiyip Chong.

Details, including the number of additional schools desiring to join CCE, are still fluid for now with CCE yet to convene with its founding members regarding the said possibility as it plots the 2023 calendar after a banner campaign last year.

Meanwhile, the league in partnership with Smart had launched a CCE Immersion before the New Year with trips around the member schools for seminars, workshops and events on the booming Esports industry – in and out the virtual arenas – with its relevance and acceptance now as an official course in the academe.