MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 25, 2021 ONTARIO TECH STUDENT UNION ESPORTS JOINS PREMIER ONTARIO COLLEGIATE LEAGUE Provides students with greater scholarship opportunities OSHAWA, ON — The Ontario Tech Student Union (OTSU), the organization representing over 10,000 students that attend Ontario Tech University, today announced that OTSU Esports has joined Ontario Post-Secondary Esports (OPSE), the preemi- nent league for collegiate-level esports in Ontario. Beginning in September 2021, OTSU Esports will be a member of the 2021/2022 OPSE league, competing in all five of the league’s games: Hearthstone, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, and Valorant. OTSU Esports joins other top universities in Ontario who compete in the OPSE, including, Carleton University, Trent University, and the University of Windsor, all vying for five titles and $30,00 0 in scholarships. “We’re so excited to see OTSU Esports enter this league just one year after being formed — it’s truly a testament to just how fast our community is growing and evolving,” said OTSU President, Josh Sankaralal. “Esports teams have quickly become a mainstay for many university campuses across Canada in the last couple years, and the OTSU is absolutely thrilled to be competing among the best of them and contributing to the industry’s growth.” The OTSU’s esports community started as a campus club that grew into a fully-fledged service after the pandemic forced classes to be offered virtually in 2020 and has since grown to include over 60 varsity players, a Discord following of nearly 1000, and is actively competitive in eight games. “Joining this league solidifies OTSU Esports as a genuine competitor in Ontario and in Canada as a whole,” said Sinthuyan Uthayanan, OTSU Esports’ Student Program Coordinator. “We have high-caliber talent at Ontario Tech; a lot of our teams made top-ten finishes in their respective leagues last season, including our Hearthstone team who placed second in all of North America in the Fall 2020 Hearthstone Collegiate Championship. Our players have the skill to go far and are hungry to prove it to the rest of Ontario and beyond.” The OPSE will organize the year’s schedule of events and broadcast matches through their Twitch channel, bringing OTSU Esports to a larger, national audience across Canada. In 2020, the OPSE had 16 schools take part in their inaugural year and earned over 1 million social media interactions. “The OPSE team has been extremely impressed with the development of OTSU Esports over the past year,” said OPSE League Commissioner James Fitzgerald. “Through OPSE, students will be able to compete, watch, and cheer on their esports teams! We are excited to bring the highest level of provincial esports competition to Ontario Tech University!” 1 Media Contact: Brad Denbow Digital Media and Communications Coordinator [email protected] ABOUT OTSU The Ontario Tech Student Union is a non-profit organization that represents over 10,000 students at Ontario Tech University and is dedicated to enhancing the student experience at Ontario Tech University. We provide students with services and amenities that support physical and mental wellbeing, provide collab- orative spaces to pursue passions and nourish development, and improve student life through advocacy and leadership. More: otsu.ca • @otsu_esports • https://discord.com/invite/cEhn4ey ABOUT OPSE Ontario Post-Secondary Esports is a volunteer and student operated organization focused on integrating collegiate esports into the traditional post-secondary institution athletics system. OPSE provides schools with new ways to engage with their students, alumni, and local community. More: opsesports.ca • @teamopse 2.