For the third year in a row, Xfinity teamed up with college campuses to host Run It Back, an esports event where the gaming industry and sports industry intersect. Esports continue to rise in popularity and gain recognition as a competitive sport, and this year is no exception. The third annual Run It Back tournament expanded to host esports teams from ten schools across the country: Drexel University, New Mexico Tech, New Mexico State, Oregon State, Temple University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, University of New Mexico, University of Oregon and University of Washington.
Run It Back took place on October 25th, featuring semifinals and grand finals of the popular games Rocket League and VALORANT. Drexel University’s esports team took home the championship for Rocket League, while UC Berkeley was crowned the winner in the VALORANT grand finals.
The gaming community showed up online and in-real-life for Run It Back. Xfinity and several universities hosted livestream watch parties with food, giveaways, a panel discussion, and action-packed gameplay. With Xfinity, viewers could also tune into the tournament on X1 from the comfort of home or watch the livestream on Twitch. Rachel Yoon, Co-Director of PR for Esports at UC Davis, says, “One of my favorite moments from this year’s Run It Back was the in-person watch party we hosted thanks to Xfinity. Seeing so many students get excited during incredible plays and enjoying the event was extremely fulfilling and fun. The event created a space for a community that loves to not only watch games but play them.”
Creators came together during the event for a panel discussion about content creation and growth through storytelling. The insightful conversation featured American wheelchair rugby player and Paralympic medalist Chuck Aoki, Twitch streamers Fareeha and Junebug, and esports on-air host Misi.
With esports becoming a more prevalent and fast-growing industry, Xfinity is proud to continue supporting students in their endeavors to pursue their passions and level up their strategic and competitive skills. “Run It Back is a game-changer for collegiate esports,” says Philip Rodriguez, Competitive & Esports Coordinator at UC Berkeley Cal Esports. “The tournament unites universities nationwide and transforms students’ passion for gaming into community engagement and support,” adds Rodriguez.
