Tespa, an esports network owned by Blizzard, announced today that it will launch and host three collegiate leagues with over $150,000 of cumulative scholarship money. Three games -- Overwatch, Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm -- will be featured with each league having a fall and spring split, which allows students to compete during the school year.
Set to begin on Sept. 30, the Overwatch tournament will be the largest of the three, boasting $100,000 in scholarship money to be won. The first place team of five will take home $6,000 each. The Hearthstone tournament will feature $50,000 total in prize money, with first place taking home $6,800. The Heroes of the Storm tournament will not feature scholarship money, but will instead feature Battle.net, Blizzard's online marketplace, credits.
This launch is the latest expansion in Tespa's arsenal of esports outings. The group originally launched as the Texas eSports Association at the University of Texas in 2012. In 2013, it expanded to a national level and in 2014, it was acquired by Blizzard Entertainment. The group plays host to the annual Heroes of the Dorm tournament, which features top collegiate Heroes of the Storm teams.