Torque Esports’ UMG Media, Activision Blizzard Establish Overwatch Collegiate Series

Torque Esports’s esports tournament and broadcast operations group, UMG Media, has signed an official contract with Activision Blizzard to host an eight-week Overwatch Collegiate Series. The series will be titled the “UMG Overwatch Collegiate Clash” with a planned start for late March 2020.

The schools taking part in the series will compete for $40,000 in total prize money – all to be given as scholarships to further esports at each of the winning schools.

Hundreds of colleges around the nation now field a competitive Overwatch team. Each week, UMG will bring in eight of those teams to compete. The eight-week series will culminate with a final winner’s round.

This is the next step in Torque and UMG’s mission to support and grow the esports space and help create a clear path to professional competition for these players currently on collegiate teams.

“Esports observers have highlighted colleges in the USA as a big opportunity for publishers and brands alike and Torque will use this huge opportunity with Overwatch to prove the value to all parties,” says Torque Esports President and CEO, Darren Cox. “Like stick and ball sports, college competition is becoming the development league where young esports stars of the future are honing their skills and preparing to become professional gamers. It is a clear step to the “big leagues.”

Launched in May, 2016, Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer combat game available on the PlayStation and Xbox consoles, PC, and the Nintendo Switch portable platform.

“The UMG acquisition was an important step in Torques’ growth strategy. Already we are seeing this being rewarded with deals like this, and the previously announced Microsoft Gears of War tournament,” he continues. “Within the group we will be able to measure the success through our in-house data group at Stream Hatchet – once again showing our ability to deliver a full service to our partners.”

UMG is the leading platform for online tournament play and esports entertainment events. The platform has generated more than 20 million views and has paid out more than US$3 million in prize money