Redbird Esports’ “Super Smash Bros” league brought the competition to Illinois State University’s campus Saturday, as it held an in-person tournament dedicated to raising money for Operation Smile.
Operation Smile is an organization dedicated to helping children around the world that struggle with cleft lip or cleft palate. Its mission is to make it possible for children to get the surgery they need to allow them to live healthy lives.
“Our plan is to give 10% of [Saturday’s] proceeds to Operation Smile,” Chris Schmidt, Super Smash Bros club leader, said.
The pricing for the event ran at about $5 a person for the venue fee, and then each tournament that a player would want to participate in cost another $5. Three different sets of tournaments were run throughout the day.
“All the rest of the money goes back into the pot towards prize pools,” Schmidt said. “Somebody is going to be walking out with potentially $600 or $700.”
Schmidt explained how grateful the league was to have the university join forces with them and help them set up this event.
“We came in and they already had eight tables set up for us, and when we needed a couple more they were happy to help,” Schmidt said.
“I also had a crew of four to five people that also came and helped out, and this could not have happened without them.”
Having people back together in a full room playing video games provided many players with that feeling of community, something that was hard to get during the pandemic’s worse months.
As businesses and other areas open up, the hype around in-person gaming events increases. ISU was not the only school that chose to participate in this event. Surrounding schools such as Bradley University, Illinois Wesleyan University and even some schools from Chicago attended.
“This all means a lot to me honestly,” Schmidt said. “I have been involved in the Smash Bros tournament scene since I was a sophomore in high school. Now I am president of the ISU Smash club and putting on my first event.”
“It is just insane to think about all the of the people that I have met through Smash Bros and esports,” Schmidt continued. “It has changed my life”.
The club ended the day raising over $100 for Operation Smile and gave the rest to the prize pool to the winners of each tournament.
BRYSON MADDOCK is a News and Features Reporter for The Vidette. Maddock can be contacted at bnmaddo@ilstu.edu. Follow Maddock on Twitter at @bnmaddo.
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