NBC Sports and Premier League Partner to Power Inaugural ePremier League College Invitational Presented by NBC Sports

NBC Sports and the Premier League have partnered with scholastic esports leader PlayVS to power the inaugural ePremier League College Invitational presented by NBC Sports, engaging students in an EA SPORTS FC 24 competition across six colleges.

This Saturday, March 23, six regional qualifiers will be held at participating colleges, featuring students at the University of California, University of Central Florida, University of Illinois, University of North Carolina, Sacred Heart University, and the University of Texas.

The qualifiers from each EA SPORTS FC 24 (Rated E for everyone) regional tournament will advance to the finals, with the champion set to be crowned in Nashville, Tenn., during the “Premier League Mornings Live” Fan Festival on April 6-7. The two-day fan festival will take place on Broadway and at Riverfront Park, featuring live action from Premier League fixtures presented across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, Telemundo and Universo. The event will also feature the Premier League trophy, club mascots and many family-friendly, interactive activities to bring the Premier League experience closer to fans.

In addition to a trip to the “Premier League Mornings Live” Fan Fest, regional tournament winners will receive a trophy, Nashville Fan Fest jersey, and more. The ePremier League College Invitational champion will win, among other prizes, a Premier League kit of their choice and a championship trophy.

“Esports provide an incredible opportunity for young fans to be introduced to the excitement of the Premier League and to become lifelong fans,” says Jon Chapman, PlayVS CEO. “In collaboration with these two global brands – NBC Sports and the Premier League – we’re bringing the gaming and global football communities together in an incredibly engaging way. This is a special opportunity for PlayVS and for all the students involved.”

“We’re excited to partner with the Premier League and PlayVS to bring this new event to life, expanding our Premier League audience while engaging the esports and collegiate communities,” says Lyndsay Signor, NBC Sports senior vice president of consumer engagement.

“The ePremier League has continued to grow since the first tournament began six years ago, attracting some of the world’s best EA SPORTS FC players,” says Akash Jain, Premier League U.S. Managing Director. “We are pleased to now be partnering with NBC Sports and EA to bring a new opportunity for fans to engage with the ePremier League in the U.S., giving students across the country a chance to compete in the first-ever college invitational. We look forward to seeing the finalists in action at the Premier League Mornings Live Fan Fest event in Nashville.”