Big Ten Network, Riot Games To Host BTN Invitational eSports Competition

BTN and Riot Games announced the BTN Invitational: A University League of Legends Event where two of the best Big Ten schools battle head-to-head in the highly-competitive online game League of Legends, the most played PC video game in the world. Ohio State will face off against Michigan State in front of a live audience at the widely popular video game event Penny Arcade Expo (PAX East) taking place in Boston from April 22 to 24.

The Big Ten has some of the premier eSports teams in the country, says Michael Calderon, VP of Programming and Digital Media at Big Ten. The fast-paced, high-level competition of League of Legends is a great fit for BTN's audience and we're excited to be the first conference-owned network to bring the intensity of collegiate eSports to a television audience.

The BTN Invitational: A University League of Legends Event will take place on Friday, April 22, from noon to 4 p.m. ET in the League of Legends show floor booth at PAX East. Fans can cheer for their favorite Big Ten team via livestream available on both BTN2Go and LoLeSports.com. Viewers can also watch the event at a later date on BTN at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, April 25.

The Big Ten Network was ahead of the trend in recognizing the growing popularity of collegiate eSports and scholarship programs, says Sean Haran, Director of Business Development at Riot Games. There are over 300 University League of Legends campus clubs, including one on nearly every Big Ten school campus, so working with BTN to host an invitational event at PAX East was a no-brainer.

The PAX East weekend also includes the 2016 uLoL Campus Series Finals, the culmination of a full season tournament for the most skilled collegiate League of Legends players in the U.S. and Canada. The Campus Series Semi-Finals will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 23, leading up to the Campus Series Finals from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 24, in the League of Legends booth.

League of Legends is a fast-paced, team-oriented online game where two teams of five compete in intense 5v5 battles that require strategic thinking, lightning reflexes, and coordinated team-play. Over 67 million people play League of Legends each month, making LoL the most played PC video game in the world.

LINK:	http://www.sportsvideo.org/2016/04/14/big-ten-network-riot-games-to-ho...
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