OSU hosting Tribal Esports Conference and Gaming Festival
Monday, February 25, 2019
Esports is growing in popularity with competitive gamers of all ages and has led to Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business hosting the Tribal Esports Conference and Gaming Festival March 8 at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.
The conference targets tribal casino managers, tribal government or casino chief financial officers and/or operating officers and casino event managers to give insight on hosting an esports event at their venue as an economic development opportunity.
Following the conference, there will be a live esports gaming tournament coordinated by Midwest eSports. The Gaming Festival is from 3-11 p.m. and is free to the public. Games available to play will include Fortnite, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch and others. The tournament entry fee is $10 per person. Visit midwestesports.com/osugamefest/ to pre-register or you may also pay the tournament fee at the door.
This festival will provide actual insight on logistics, set-up, player demographics and venue needs for hosting a similar event and will help organizations understand what is involved in hosting a gaming festival.
“A conference which covers the topics of e-gaming and the relevancy to casinos is a conference no executive wants to miss,” said Dr. John Holden, assistant professor of Legal Studies in the Department of Management in the OSU Spears School of Business. “It will provide insight from the actual gamers and provide opportunities for tribes to learn about the exciting opportunities surrounding esports.”
Gregory Guedel, attorney at Hobbs Straus Dean & Walker LLP in Oklahoma City, will open the conference. It will continue with multiple sessions ranging in topics from the growth of the gaming and esport industry to various panel discussions. A panel discussion from a gamer perspective will cover what attracts competitors to a facility and esport events. The second panel will discuss tribal opportunities in esports and share ideas and recommendations on how tribes can maximize revenue opportunities in the esports industry.
Osage Casinos and Choctaw Casinos and Resorts are conference gold sponsors. All levels of sponsorship are available.
A $300 conference registration fee will apply and includes instruction, materials, lunch, refreshments and entrance to the Esports Conference and Gaming Festival. Hotel accommodations are available at either the Atherton Hotel on the Oklahoma State University campus or the Best Western Plus Cimarron Hotel & Suites in Stillwater.
For more information or to register please visit www.cepd.okstate.edu or call Lindsey Ray at (405) 744-5208 or email at lindssk@okstate.edu.