Letran’s Fr. Vic Calvo, OP, incoming NCAA management committee chairman and host, says this would be the best time to debut the online-based sport in an effort to keep their students and athletes safe.
“There was already a proposal (to include e-sports) prior to the outbreak but we took it more seriously once the quarantine was imposed given that physical contact is no longer allowed,” Fr. Calvo told CNN Philippines.
E-sports, however, will initially be tested out as an exhibition event given that the NCAA requires a three-year trial period before a sport is considered a regular event.
According to Fr. Calvo, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang will be the first and only game to be contested in Season 96.
“We want to test it first and once we see that it’s smooth sailing then we can add other e-sports,” he said. “We will actually try it with two schools first like San Beda versus Letran. We will evaluate it and once it’s okay then we can try it with the other ten schools.”
The proposal was said to be well-received by the 10-member schools as the league braces for a shortened calendar without risking the lives of many.
But some of the biggest challenges facing the NCAA’s adoption of college e-sports would be its dependence on its broadcasting partnership with ABS-CBN Sports and Action.
The media giant will reportedly be responsible for handling the infrastructure of the games and sponsorships.
“It’s better if there’s TV exposure just like when it was televised during the SEA Games,” Fr. Calvo stressed. “The difference is that we have to choose quality players because this will be broadcasted on-air. The core five could even be NCAA basketball players so that they can attract viewers and promote the sport.”
Following the recent success of e-sports as a medal event in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, the NCAA also said it hopes to ride on its popularity and take the first step in legitimizing online gaming as a sport.
During the biennial meet, Razer Inc., the official e-sports partner, reportedly recorded over one million views on the first day with about 70,000 concurrent viewers and a total of 20 million impressions.
Apart from e-sports, Fr. Calvo bared that this season may only feature the mandatory sports which are basketball, volleyball, swimming, and track and field.
The oldest athletic league, however, has yet to determine its official opening date as it awaits for the government to relax restrictions on sporting events and mass gatherings.
Fr. Calvo said the NCAA is also heavily considering the willingness of athletes and students to return to their schools amidst the risk of exposure to the dreaded virus.
Should the government relax its restrictions, he said the league will give its players at least three months to practice and gain back their condition before the NCAA can reopen.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) — The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is set to introduce e-sports in its 96th season that will only be seeing a handful of events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
