On Thursday 24 February Timewade were delighted to take part in, and sponsor, the first South West Esports Festival at Exeter College.
The festival, which was run and organised by Tech South West, took place at the new Digital and Data Centre at Exeter College, which houses the Exeter College Esports Academy and is part of the South West Institute of Technology.
Timewade was proud to sponsor the festival alongside ultrafast broadband provider Jurassic Fibre, software engineering firm Rowe, tech marketing agency Astley Media and fan engagement platform Filmily.
16 organisations from across the South West took part in a competitive Rocket League tournament. Teams taking part included Singer Instruments, Granted Consultancy, Software Solved, the Exeter Chiefs rugby team, the Met Office, and more.
Bath-based software development company Rocketmakers were crowned the festival champions, with Ashfords LLP coming runners-up.
Making up the Timewade team, otherwise known as ‘TeamWade’, were Technology Success Analyst Troy Wheeler, Service Desk Team Leader Ross Coram, and Junior Service Desk Analyst Owynn Quinton, supported by Managing Director Julian Wills and Operations Director Jordan Westcott, who attended the day as spectators.
Technology Success Analyst at Timewade, Troy Wheeler, said: “The eports festival was such a fantastic day. As an avid gamer it was great to have the chance to compete in one of my favourite games, Rocket League. After nearly two years of working mainly from home, it was great to meet up with like-minded colleagues and business connections for such an innovative and well-organised event.”
Esports, a term used to describe competitive video gaming, is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. The sector achieved an audience of 474m in 2021, and a global revenue of over $1bn, according to market research firm Newzoo. Leading the way in esports, Exeter College offers a range of courses for students who wish to develop their skills in the business and management of esports, alongside coding, software development and data analytics training.
International rugby star Don Armand led a team representing the Exeter Chiefs, alongside front rows Marcus Street and James Kenny. The Exeter Chiefs team were awarded the ‘best effort’ award, which was presented by Timewade’s Managing Director, Julian Wills.
Operations Director at Timewade, Jordan Westcott, said: “The South West’s tech scene is thriving, and the esports festival offered us a chance to see the range of tech facilities they have at Exeter College’s Digital & Data Centre. We are passionate about supporting the next generation and look forward to working with the college and supporting local young people as they embark upon their careers in tech. Our congratulations go to the festival winners Rocketmakers and runners-up Ashfords LLP – our team had great fun competing with you.”
If you’re interested in finding out about courses at Exeter College, visit: https://exe-coll.ac.uk/
If you’re interested in finding out more about the free to join membership organisation Tech South West, visit: https://www.techsouthwest.co.uk/
