Overwatch League Grand Finals makes Canadian debut at TMU
Toronto Metropolitan University played host to the highly anticipated Overwatch League Grand Finals, a premier esports event drawing sold-out crowds to the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) for a showdown of epic proportions between the world’s best teams. Organized by OverActive Media in collaboration with the Overwatch League, this event marked a significant milestone as the championship made its Canadian debut, further establishing TMU and the city of Toronto as a global hub for esports. The Overwatch League tournament featured eight teams from across the globe competing live for a massive prize pool of $1.8 million USD.
The 2023 champion took home $1 million in prize money and the championship trophy
Grit meets gaming
The Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC), once home to the Toronto Maple Leafs, proved to be the perfect setting for this legendary tournament. With its downtown location, capacity for large crowds, and renowned reputation in the sports world, the MAC successfully provided an immersive esports experience for 3,000 fans from across the world, as well as an additional 157,000 fans online, who flocked in to support their teams during playoffs and witness the Grand Finals on Sunday.
“Esports are meant to be in an arena, it’s an experience our fans expect and deserve,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President of Marketing & Brand for OverActive Media. “The historic venue is such a cool juxtaposition to usher in the next generation of fans and sporting events.”
The crowd goes wild; In a 4-0 victory against the Houston Outlaws, the Florida Mayhem clutch the prestigious title of 2023 Overwatch League Grand Champions
Toronto boasts a rich community of gamers and enthusiasts, firmly established in the world of competitive gaming. Hosting esports events not only inspires the next generation of gamers but also provides valuable economic opportunities, further cementing Toronto as a thriving esports industry hub.
“This is our fourth event with TMU and it has been a place of many firsts, including the first Call of Duty League event in Canada, and now the first Overwatch League Championship in Canada,” said McGlynn. “The arena provides a great vibe that helps make everything feel grand and the central location has become a favourite of the League, players, influencers, and fans.”
Notably, TMU became the first university globally to host a championship event for a major game title like Overwatch. TMU also hosted the first-ever Call of Duty League event in Canada in collaboration with OverActive Media in 2020.
“TMU has some of the best and most progressive esports and gaming culture among any university in Canada,” stated Geoffrey Lachapelle, Manager of the Red Bull Gaming Hub at The Creative School. “We house a massive competitive esports club made up of students across the university, interactive game exhibits in public campus areas, highly active endemic brand partners driving events and tournaments in other buildings, and contribute to non-mandatory gaming classes with hundreds of students at a time.”
The Overwatch League Grand Finale brings notable brand partners to the MAC
Fueling the esports ecosystem
The Red Bull Gaming Hub, led by industry veterans Dr. Kristopher Alexander and Geoffrey Lachapelle, plays a pivotal role in connecting top-tier esports tournaments to the Toronto gaming scene. Alexander, a two-time globally ranked player turned game developer, professor and scholar, and Lachapelle, also a two-time globally ranked player, now manage the Red Bull Gaming Hub. Their esteemed reputation, invaluable contributions to the field and extensive connections have enabled the Hub to establish industry partnerships and host major competitive leagues. The Hub goes beyond tournaments, offering students pathways into the gaming and esports industries through professionally oriented courses, training in state-of-art gaming infrastructure, collaboration initiatives with top companies and community activities in gaming, while supporting a cutting-edge research centre called The Conduit.
Prominent industry partners, facilitated by Alexander and Lachapelle, such as Red Bull, AMD, Unreal Engine, VIPod, Nanoleaf, and others set up activations throughout the year to explore and exchange new innovations and trends in gaming and esports.
Overwatch League event goers game on the sidelines, enjoying access to gaming equipment generously provided by brand partners
“The Red Bull Gaming Hub at The Creative School is one of the ways TMU supports the gaming industry and nurtures the next generation of gamers. This innovative hub is loaded with high-performance computers provided by AMD, industry-standard software and hardware able to create, edit and play video games, unlike any other,” said Lachapelle. “The Red Bull Gaming Hub is strongly built upon a philosophy of educational theory via practice. The goal is to not just teach academic knowledge, but to drive home the practical applications of that knowledge in a way that can be beneficial to a professional career for those students.”
Exploring cutting-edge technology, AMD offers event attendees the opportunity to test and potentially win one of their finest desktop computers through a giveaway
Boosting student’s XP
Students from across The Creative School and the TMU Bold esports team took on a variety of volunteer roles in the Overwatch League, providing them with a valuable peek into esports and event management. Volunteering in support roles like registration, venue management, and crowd engagement helped students gain substantial industry involvement (external link) , providing insights to a potential career in this space.
“Volunteering at this event is an incredibly valuable experience,” said Taylor McMillan, Vice-President of TMU Bold Esports team and Communications Lead at the Red Bull Gaming Hub. “These experiences help to gain more insight into esports event management on a large scale. I look forward to learning about how branding and activations are implemented for these events.”
Overwatch fans and gaming enthusiasts enjoy an immersive experience, surrounded by all things esports
With the rapid expansion of the gaming and esports entertainment industry, many aligning creative fields are increasingly utilising gaming technology and innovations. Students aspiring to enter these creative domains must be informed about emerging technologies and how to leverage them for success.
“It is extremely difficult to argue against the viability of a career in games, and the continued expansion of gaming technology is seeing tech like Unreal Engine begin to be deployed in film, fashion, architecture, and other creative industries,” said Lachapelle. “Game design and game entertainment knowledge are a new foundational component of the entertainment landscape.”
The Red Bull Gaming Hub imparts academic gaming knowledge to students by empowering them with practical applications and real-world skills needed to excel in the industry
As The Creative School continues to lead the way in gaming education, infrastructure, and event hosting, it cements its position as a global hub for esports, shaping the future of the gaming industry in Toronto and beyond.
The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University
The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.