UAAP Esports eyes main event status after quick success - Inquirer Technology

MANILA, Philippines – UAAP Esports is no longer content with proving that esports belong in the collegiate sports scene. It now wants to prove that it can draw the same respect, attention, and energy as the league’s biggest events.

Don’t call it just another sport, esports is a main event. At least, that’s what the UAAP is aiming for. 

UAAP Esports Commissioner and Dark League Studios (DLS) co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Cherry Valdenor bared that the league’s goal for virtual competition has moved forward.

Before, the UAAP tried to figure out whether esports belong in the collegiate league.

After finding success in just a few years, one question lingered. Just how far can the competition grow within the league? 

“When esports was introduced in the UAAP, the biggest challenge was not organizing the tournaments. The challenge was to prove that esports could be done within the standards and culture of the UAAP,” Valdenor told Tech INQ.

The bigger goal for esports now is to be a big-time player alongside basketball and volleyball.

“We hope for esports to be recognized as a major event next to basketball and volleyball,” she said of UAAP Esports.

That, however, would require more than just putting big game titles into a tournament format. 

It would mean building an esports program that fits the league’s existing standards, all while creating sustainable opportunities for students.

“I would consider UAAP esports with DLS (inaugural and third season) a success, but as a program, I think there’s still a lot of opportunities for UAAP Esports to improve,” said Valdenor. 

That distinction remains important as esports continues to develop in UAAP participant schools.

According to Valdenor, the success of a collegiate esports program should not be measured only through viewership or attendance. 

The program also needs to contribute to an ecosystem that promotes good character.

The next step, therefore, is not simply to hold more tournaments, but to strengthen the infrastructure around the players around the competition.

Valdenor identified legitimacy as the immediate goal for UAAP esports.

“Esports is not just an entertainment or hobby, but a competitive platform where teams develop a discipline comparable to sporting athletes,” she said.

That preparation also extends beyond the game itself. “Esports also requires preparation of both mind and body,” she added.

Popular sporting events like basketball and volleyball have earned legitimacy with their continued development for student-athletes inside and outside the playing court.

UAAP esports is now looking to do the same for young esports aspirants to have the same legitimacy as the big sporting names of the collegiate league.

Valdenor said esports is already a part of student development and athletic programs in UAAP member universities.

Expansion is also on the table, but Valdenor said the UAAP wants to approach it strategically.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), VALORANT, and NBA 2K currently provide the foundation for UAAP Esports. Other titles could potentially be considered, but popularity alone wouldn’t determine whether a game gets into the lineup.

The UAAP would have to consider player participation and publisher support, among other factors.

“The UAAP is open to discussing expansion with the right organizations and it must be strategic…. We also have to consider player participation and publisher support, among other things.”

The UAAP is also already attracting interest from the esports industry.

“Publishers of esports titles with large participation and audiences in the Philippines have casually approached the UAAP.”

Still, publisher interest does not automatically mean a new title will be added to the mix. If the framework continues to develop though, the question facing UAAP esports may eventually shift anew.

The “e” in esports might as well stand for “evolve,” with the way it developed in such a grand league like the UAAP. 

Esports flipped the switch and went from asking whether it belongs in the league to how much space it can occupy within collegiate sports.