MTA partners with MSBSD to sponsor eSports

WASILLA — A year after the initial hurdles of setting up eSports in Mat-Su Borough School District Schools had been overcome, Matanuska Telephone Association is making it official as the eSports partner of MSBSD.

With the inaugural season last year, coaches, players, and support staff struggled to get the possibilities of eSports in MSBSD high schools off the ground immediately. After the Alaska Schools Activities Association made eSports a sanctioned ASAA activity, the MSBSD was ahead of the game with the help of MTA. Over 427 million people have watched or participated in esports tournaments by the end of 2019 and in last year’s inaugural unofficial season, 35 Alaska high schools fielded esports teams.

“Bridging competition, discipline and teamwork through esports will improve engagement and boost students’ enthusiasm for academic success, and we’re excited to watch these results play out this school year, and into the future,” said MSBSD Director of Instruction Reese Everett.

As part of the eSports partnership with MSBSD, MTA offers free access to gaming equipment and supplied jerseys to eSports teams. During the eUnlimited Gaming Tournament, the first high school tournament inside the tournament was held playing Rocket League, where Palmer High School defeated Colony High for prize money for their programs and new jerseys. The MSBSD has 46 schools totaling 19,000 students.

“We’re proud to be leading the charge in establishing esports in Alaska, not only as a fun, modern form of competition but also as a valuable educational tool,” said Michael Burke, CEO of MTA. “As with MTA’s network, our goal with esports is to minimize the impact of distance on Alaskans to each other and to the Lower 48, and this partnership’s ability to align the cooperation and talent in esports with academic achievement serves as a promising step forward for the students of the Mat-Su Valley.”

MTA not only provides resources to MSBSD gamers, but strategic support to MSBSD staff and students. MTA will hire two eSports related interns from within the district and is proud to continue the long history of giving back to the community by partnering with MSBSD to provide eSports.