Missouri Western State University celebrated the grand opening of the Griffon Esports Arena in the Blum Student Union on March 4, followed by varsity and club athletes playing a 24-hour livestream for charity.
“We’re really excited now to be able to rally around our Griffon Esports team,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, president of Missouri Western State University. “The new esports arena will give these students a place to practice, play and train, just like a traditional sport.”
Esports is organized, team-based multiplayer competitive video gaming and has exploded in popularity in recent years. The arena, featuring state-of-the-art gaming platforms and livestream technology, was built with funds provided by the Student Government Association and private donors led by Pete and Staci Gray.
The facility represents an investment in Missouri Western students that goes beyond a place to play games, said Nathan Scott, senior business major from Savannah, Missouri, and SGA president.
“This is a community,” Scott said, comparing it to gathering places like bowling alleys and shopping centers of the past. “While this arena might be a venue for playing games, what people are staying for is the community and the connection that this program provides.”
Shortly after the ribbon-cutting ceremony ended, varsity and club members began a 24-hour livestream to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network through Extra Life.
“Not even an hour into this facility being open and our students — the esports community — will spend its first 24 hours giving back,” Scott said. “I think this speaks volumes to the spirit of this program and of this community.”
The fundraiser’s goal was $1,000 and was exceeded within three hours. At the livestream’s end, Griffon Esports had raised more than $1,600.
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