Collegiate Team Award – Champlain College Esports
Extra Life presents an excellent opportunity to involve esports teams, gaming clubs, and individual gamers within college campuses. This award recognizes a college-affiliated Extra Life team that excels in recruitment, campus awareness-building, and/or fundraising achievements through innovative events and live stream fundraisers. We are thrilled to recognize Champlain College Esports for their continued support of University of Vermont Children’s Hospital. Champlain College Esports completed their 9th year participating in Extra Life in 2023 and they raised $5,000 during a 48-hour esports tournament.
Champlain College Esports actively engages the campus through its varsity esports program and club. The highlight is the annual Extra Life Game Day event, where they run a 48-hour gaming marathon that occupies the campus gaming facility. From September, they use social media, local news agencies, and on-campus events to promote the upcoming activities and the significance of the Extra Life initiative. These outreach efforts involve the whole esports team, both varsity and club members, participating in raising awareness and driving engagement. The weekend of Game Day includes diverse activities such as gaming tournaments, competitive team matches, interviews with industry professionals, trivia games, and casual gaming. The tournament is a budding annual tradition at Champlain, and this year the stakes were raised when Southern New Hampshire University’s own esports team traveled all the way across state lines to compete. These events cater to various interests within the gaming community and foster interaction among students, enhancing Extra Life’s visibility and impact on campus.
The team employs several fundraising strategies centered around tournaments with entry fees and exciting raffles. During their events, live incentives such as playing games blindfolded or eating spicy foods engage and entertain the audience, encouraging higher donations. These challenges are live-streamed, allowing remote participants to join in the fun and contribute financially. Additionally, the program organizes fundraising competitions with prizes for top fundraisers, leveraging the competitive spirit of the gaming community to maximize contributions. These creative and interactive strategies have proven effective in raising substantial funds for UVM Children’s Hospital.