The Kent State University Esports team announced a new partnership with the Cavs Legion Gaming Club to help promote and support the gaming scene in Northeast Ohio. 

The Cavs Legion Gaming Club will be sharing its new facility, the Cavs Legion Esports Center, located in Cleveland’s Battery Park, with the Kent Esports team. 

The club will be able to use the streaming pods to record and stream videos for YouTube, Twitch and other platforms and host practices, events, educational programs and more, according to a university press release.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to team up with Kent State University Esports as we continue to build, support and engage the esports community in Northeast Ohio,” said Jonathan Sumers, the Cavaliers and Cavs Legion senior director of esports, in the press release. 

“Bridging the gap between the collegiate and professional level of esports is an important next step in our growth, and we couldn’t be more excited to have Kent State Esports by our side to help us do this,” Sumers said in the press release. 

The Cavs Legion Gaming Club will also help to improve the skills of the Kent State University Esports team and give its members a look into what kind of jobs they could find in the future through esports, according to the press release. 

“We’re trying to help those students, give them the opportunity to get careers within esports and to get opportunities to work with people that are already in esports to get experience,” said Maria Hawkins, the Kent State University Esports coordinator.

The Kent State University Esports team was founded in fall 2018. The team has more than 400 members, spanning over varsity and club level gaming. 

The Kent State University Esports team plays varsity level Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League and Hearthstone tournaments, with 24 varsity and 20 junior varsity members played in the Tespa, Collegiate Star League, as well as the College League of Legends leagues last year. 

The Cavs Legion Gaming Club is the Cleveland Cavaliers esports affiliate that competes in the NBA 2K League, the first official league that is headed by a U.S. league. 

“It’s a way for us to fill the gap between the collegiate esports and the professional. So, right now you see a lot of players that are professional playing and then go back to college afterwards,” Hawkins said. 

Kimberly Fisher is a general assignment reporter. Contact her at [email protected].