Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, Blaze Fire Games announce partnership

Agreement sees two organizations work with member institutions to create pathways for students and alumni in technology and gaming, form esports league

NEW ORLEANS – Today, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) and Blaze Fire Games (BFG) announced the formation of a partnership between the two organizations which will lead to increased opportunities for students and alumni to find academic and career opportunities within the technology and gaming industries.

Included in that partnership will be the formation of a GCAC esports league, featuring current members in Dillard University, Fisk University, Philander Smith College, Rust College and Tougaloo College, along with incoming members Oakwood College, Southern University at New Orleans and Wiley College. The league page can be found at https://gyo.gg/conference/GCACESL/.

“The GCAC is about growth and giving our institutions as many opportunities as possible to achieve their dreams and reach their goals,” interim GCAC Commissioner Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes said. “This partnership with Blaze Fire Games is another step forward for our league and we’re excited about incorporating the GCAC into this emerging space.”

A licensed digital content provider, BFG aims to connect a diverse group of participants by introducing them to a career path where they will learn to compete in a gaming environment. The company engages in cross-cultural experiences by offering entertainment events in the esports industry, including education career pathway certifications, multiplayer team leagues and individual player competitive esports tournaments.

“Working with the GCAC is an important mission of ours, in ensuring that we are creating degree & non-degree career pathway track access tracks for students, alumni, faculty and staff at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to immerse themselves into what amounts to a billion-dollar enterprise in esports,” said Blaze Fire Games CEO and co-founder Isiah Reese. “The conference is growing and expanding and we’re thrilled to be a part of it and cannot wait to see how this partnership will grow in the years to come.”

Beginning in 2022, any current or former student at each of the eight GCAC institutions, along with current staff, can participate in both events and classes held by BFG. This will include tournaments featuring games such as Call of Duty, NBA2K, Rocket League, Fortnight and many others. Professional development certificates learning opportunities include topics such as Intro to Esports, Esports Production Management, Esports Music in the cloud, Video Game Design & Development, Blockchain, Non-Fungible-Token (NFT’s), Web3, Esports Digital Marketing, Competitive Gaming Analytics and Esports Coaching and more.

For more information on Blaze Fire Games, visit www.blazefiregames.com.

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About the GCAC
The GCAC is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference is made up of members representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities and is only one of five in the United States across all intercollegiate sports made up of HBCU institutions. The GCAC membership includes Dillard University, Edward Waters University, Fisk University, Philander Smith College, Rust College and Tougaloo College. The GCAC will celebrate 40 years in 2022.