META High School Esports has named telecommunications company Optus as a major sponsor of its esports league.
Optus was announced as a partner of Legacy Esports – which, like this league, was founded by Adelaide Football Club – in June.
META also recently announced partnerships with both Acer and Intel. The deals will go towards funding hardware peripherals, securing venues for tournaments, and establishing new training camps.
Woody Wu, Commissioner for META High School Esports League commented on the deal: “For young gamers, META is seen as the first step in their pathway to become a professional player. With the support of partners like Optus, this year is the first time we have been able to run our regional championships at a professional level. Providing an incredible tournament experience for the students and giving them that big competition feel will hopefully inspire and drive them to aspire to the next level.
“We believe that students can learn valuable skills through esports, such as teamwork, communication, discipline, dealing with adversity. Thanks to Optus, we can provide infrastructure and support for schools and students to build these skills, work with their passion for esports and reach their full potential.”
META High School Esports allows students access to local and national leagues, training, development and esports arenas. Close to 2,000 students across Australia and New Zealand are currently involved in META’s esports leagues, which include League of Legends, Rocket League, and NBA 2K19.
Mel Hopkins, Head of Marketing at Optus added: “We are pleased to be able to work on the META High School Esports program and this partnership signals our intention within this growing esports segment. This program not only teaches students about the boundaries of gaming but provides a pathway for students that wish to pursue esports professionally. We know our robust network will play a key role in facilitating the future of the Australian esports industry and we look forward to playing our part in furthering this program for high school students.”
Esports Insider says: It is always great to see continued investment into the grassroots of esports. Initiatives like META are key to the development of upcoming players in the industry – you never know where the next biggest esports talent will come from.