Wizards District Gaming Announces Innovative Esports Partnership with University of North America

Monumental Sports & Entertainment today announced a first-of- its-kind student-centered partnership between its esports teams, Wizards District Gaming and Caps Gaming, and the University of North America (UoNA).  The partnership is rooted in preparing students for the exploding field of esports and to create new career opportunities for current and future students.

As part of the partnership, the groups will work together on an esports curriculum which provides UoNA students a dedicated esports internship with Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) conducting seminars for students with executives across MSE and developing esports consulting projects for students to gain real-life professional experience in the field. UoNA’s competitive teams will also have access to MSE’s health and wellness teams and professional players to learn how a balance of training alongside healthy eating and social habits can boost their career prospects.

Also important to both organizations is a commitment to community programming across the D.C., Virginia, and Maryland (DMV) region to give back to underserved neighbors. They will partner on developing, and offering scholarships to, gaming-focused youth camps so that more have access to the sport and industry. University of North America will also have a jersey sleeve entitlement with Caps Gaming and courtside signage during Wizards District Gaming’s home games to grow awareness for their university offerings within the industry.

“We couldn’t be more excited for the University of North America to join us at this incredible moment when we are witnessing explosive interest in esports,” said Jim Van Stone, President, Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer, Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “UoNA is proving their commitment to preparing their students for growth industries by offering unique experiences with our entire esports ecosystem, including our championship-winning Wizards District Gaming – so they will be exposed to and learning from the best in the business.”

The University of North America is proud to announce the launch of its collegiate esports initiative. The intent of this initiative is to embolden “Education Through Esports” and provide educational, career-centered experiences in the esports industry. For the past year, UoNA has been planning, engineering, and developing state-of-the-art esports facilities and exploring industry opportunities for our students. Currently, students are training to show off their gaming skills on the competitive collegiate athletics stage. UoNA is committed to developing future education paths specific to esports. UoNA’s esports initiative will continue to scale-up by advancing gaming industry innovations and pursuing how to best prepare students for this fast-paced industry.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) has expanded its ownership of franchises within the NBA and NHL leagues to include esports verticals in recent years. The expansion into the growth market of esports was a natural evolution of MSE’s commitment to investing in innovative competition. By bringing together unique audiences and fostering a sense of community around sports, MSE remains committed to delivering excellence to fans in sports they already follow – as well as present those on the next frontier.

“The University of North America is excited about our partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment!” said Jill Martin, President of University of North America. “UoNA believes our innovative approach to education through esports will forge countless career opportunities for our current and future students. As we march forward in this new arena, we can think of no better group than MSE to partner and collaborate with.”

Wizards District Gaming (WDG) is part of the NBA 2K League, a professional esports league co-founded by the National Basketball League (NBA) and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Launched in 2018, the league features the best NBA 2K players in the world. WDG was an inaugural member of the founding class of seventeen franchises, which has now expanded to 23 franchises for the 2021 season. WDG drafts and/or retains six gamers as part of a team that competes as unique characters in 5-on-5 play against 22 other teams in a mix of regular-season games, tournaments, and playoffs. WDG won the NBA 2K League Championship in 2020, taking home $420,000 in prize money for the players.

In November 2019, Monumental Sports & Entertainment announced Caps Gaming – an esports-focused sub-brand that aims to help foster the growth of the NHL competitive gaming community and create visibility for hockey’s esports scene. To advance this adoption, Caps Gaming has hosted a Caps Gaming Showcase – a 120-team, 6v6 EA Sports NHL competition on Xbox.

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About Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Monumental Sports & Entertainment is America’s leading sports and entertainment family. Our people, players, teams, and events bring excitement and joy to millions. We invest and innovate to consistently raise the game so we can deliver extraordinary experiences that will inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. To learn more, please visit www.monumentalsports.com.

About University of North America

University of North America is a veteran-owned university conveniently located in Fairfax, Virginia. UoNA provides students with the opportunity to explore the globalization of the marketplace while honing their cultural, historical, and social acumen that enabled them to excel in business and technology world-wide. These features distinguish UoNA’s educational experience and equip our graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in the ever-changing world. The University’s motto is “Education That Transforms,” which is our goal for each student. We urge our students to take advantage of the programs and resources that have been specifically developed for them.

Contact:

Monumental Sports & Entertainment: Anu Rangappa, arangappa@monumentalsports.com

University of North America: Bryce Joseph, Media@uona.edu