You Play. You Learn. Contents 3. Introduction
4. ACE and Esports
5. Canadian Esports Championship
6. By the Numbers
7. Opportunities
8 - 10. Esports in Canada
11 - 12. Meet Canadian Champions
13. To Future Champions
14. You play. You learn. Our passion starts with Canadian esports challengers and only comes to fruition with champions. We are here to define and drive everything in between. Though our mission statement has always said it best: Introduction “To implement, support and maintain the resources and competitive landscape necessary to the development of top tier esports athletes. To promote Canada as a leader in esports excellence by raising standards and awareness, and lowering the barriers to entry.”
Canada already has an impressive history of high esport achievement (more on that further in). Given our moderate population, it should come as nothing short of inspiring; and that has all been without grassroots programs and development. Enter the Association for Canadian Esports. A team and a community built around the belief that healthy, structured competition is the best way to better all student players and challengers. One helping the many and many helping the one.
We are working with schools and school boards, industry experts and students to develop best practices and a better understanding of what makes a healthy, elite esport challenger. All while fostering a strong community and facilitating serious and seriously fun competition.
GL HF Thank you,
-David Abawi Founder and CEO ACE and Esports
“Esports [...] is a form of competition using video games. Most commonly, esports takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players and teams.” - Wikipedia
“Esports is played by both amateurs and professionals and tournaments are usually mixed gender. Esports can be played on PCs, consoles and mobiles.
Depending on the game, the format can be 1v1, 3v3, 4v4, 5v5 and 6v6. At the top level, leading global teams and players can earn significant sums in wages and prize money each year.
There are currently around 30 different recognised esports titles...” - British Esports Association
Esports are this and so much more. To many, esports mean community and belonging, challenges and growth, and in some cases multifaceted careers.
The Association for Canadian Esports is here to labor for the future and the betterment of Canadian esports. How that takes place will evolve over time but one certainty is that it starts with support, structure and high quality competition. We can’t wait to bring the Canadian Esports Championship to students across the country. The most important step forward in Canadian esports Canadian Through regional and provincial league play in the Canadian Esports Championship, high school students can finally develop and improve with, and Esports against, the best of their peers. Esports as an extracurricular is the fastest way to promote healthy, structured growth for our country’s players. The ACE with Championship the CEC will be laboring to make regular league play a normality while “Extracurricular activities are found at all levels of recognizing and awarding Canada’s brightest talents. our school system. They include but are not limited to activities such as debate, athletics, music, drama, ● Competitive platform ● Community school publications, student council, school clubs, contests, and various social events. This multitude of experiences forms a third curriculum – paralleling ● Extracurricular format ● Management & IT roles the required and elective curricula.” ● Recruiting stage and spotlight ● Event assistance - Fred C. Lunenburg, Sam Houston State University ● Scholarship awards ● Coaching/training options
● Collegiate connections ● Streaming partnerships By the Numbers
2018 Global esport revenue: $900 million - +37.4% growth year on year
2018 North American revenue (approx): $335 million - 37% of global number
Number of North American college varsity esports programs in 2018: 125+
[2017 data] 78% - Viewers are male 65% - Esports enthusiasts have full time jobs and over 50% are in a high income bracket 60% - Aged 16 to 30 40% - Indicate they are likely to attend an esports event 20% - Have bought a physical or virtual event ticket 15% - Have paid for esports related apparel
Data provided by Newzoo and nacesports.org Opportunities
The vast amount of opportunities within the space is staggering and grows every year. Whether working with a team or within the industry that surrounds them, there is a new, heightened demand for people with the right skill sets.
Esports job role snapshot:
● Professional player ● Product manager ● Coach ● Admin/referee ● PR/Marketing executive ● Community/social media manager ● Sales/partnerships manager ● Event manager ● Business management ● Physiotherapist/Fitness staff ● Production crew ● Nutritionists ● Shoutcaster/host ● Psychologists ● Journalist/content creator Esports in Canada
League of Legends North American LCS Finals - Toronto, ON - League of Legends North American LCS Finals - Vancouver, BC - Summer 2016 @ Scotiabank Arena (then Air Canada Center) Spring 2017 @ Pacific Coliseum Esports in Canada
Dota 2 The International - Vancouver, BC - Summer 2018 @ RedBull AdrenaLAN - Mississauga,ON - Summer 2018 @ Rogers Arena (impressive $25.5 million prize pool) The International Centre Esports in Canada Based in Toronto, Marcus Kubes Management Group is Canada's first full service law firm and management agency dedicated to esports and content creators. HQ in Vancouver. Web based esport tournament organizer. The most robust Canadian companies support esports and esports competition platform available. esports support Canadian companies.
Some of the most professional esports reporting available. First smartphone app Food, drinks and games. In downtown launched 2007, Headquarters in Toronto. Toronto, The Hive connects and More than 200 employees. Publicly traded brings together the esports universe, on TSX Venture Exchange (SCR) boasting a spectacular 7,000 sq ft venue for gaming, meetings, events and entertainment. Meet Canadian Champions
While he grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida and moved to Cambridge, ON in his teens, Huk usually identifies solely as Canadian for competitions. Chris praised his father's decision to move saying: "Had I not moved to Canada my family and I both agree that I would most likely be in the military, jail, or dead". Chris said during an interview, in May 2014, that he "played StarCraft II instead of joining military in order to eventually pay for school". In 2017 HuK was named President of Gaming for the Kraft Group, owners of the Overwatch League team Boston Uprising (and the NFL’s New England Patriots). HuK serves a dual role as general manager and head coach of the Uprising.
One of the FPS greats, hugely popular Twitch streamer and former professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. Shroud is known for HuK, Chris Loranger playing PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and more recently Call of Duty Black Ops 4: Blackout. From Mississauga, ON, Grzesiek is one of the top earning Twitch streamers of all time.
Shroud, Michael Grzesiek Meet Canadian Champions
As of November 2018, he is the twentieth highest earning esports player in the world, one of Dota2’s most successful players and a Vancouver, BC native. Like many, Kurtis’s parents were initially skeptical of his career choice but eventually warmed to it as he won more tournaments. Kurtis founded the team Digital Chaos and is currently head coach of Forward Gaming. Wildturtle, Jason Tran Scarlett, Sasha Hostyn A veteran League of Legends player who grew up in Toronto, ON. Turtle has previously played A professional video game player, born in Kingston, for major gaming organizations Counter Logic Ontario, most known for her performance in StarCraft Gaming, Cloud9, Team SoloMid and Immortals, II, though she briefly dabbled in Dota 2. As of February while he currently plays ADC for FlyQuest. An 2018, she is the only woman to win a major impressive history and three World international StarCraft II tournament. The New Yorker Championship appearances. called her "the most accomplished woman in esports." Aui_2000, Kurtis Ling
To Future Champions: - Preparation - The only thing left is to instil and promote a winning mentality. Examining interviews and conversations with top professional - Tact - players, we know the few, core principles employed by world champions. - Resilience -
And remember... You play. You learn.
The above is not just a title or a motto, it is a mantra. It can be repeated endlessly, much like the process for improvement in any discipline. First we play, then we learn from that play, and we take what we learn into the next play. Implementing what we have learned each time. Building off the back of our shared successes and missteps. A misstep is only a failure when we neglect to identify it, address it or correct it. Failure is never to be condemned. Failure is a shining milestone to be surmounted and surpassed. The only true failure is not learning from our missteps - and even then, perhaps most importantly, it is never too late.
You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play. You learn. You play…
Thank you, The Association for Canadian Esports