GEL Championship April 6 at GSU

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pantherlan-tickets-57757749985

Georgia State University’s varsity esports program will host and compete against multiple college and university teams during the third PantherLAN Esports Tournament with live, in-arena finals across multiple games on Saturday, April 6 at the Georgia State Sports Arena, 125 Decatur St., S.E. Parking details are at the end of this post.

The Georgia Esports League is proud to announce that Greenberg Traurig LLP is sponsoring scholarships for the winners of GEL’s Southeast Regional championship April 6 at Georgia State University. Greenberg Traurig’s Video Game & Esports Group is at the forefront of the rapidly converging worlds of video games, esports, virtual and augmented reality, entertainment, mobile media, music, and social networking. Led by David I. Schulman, a technology and corporate shareholder in the firm’s Atlanta office, the group currently represents multiple video game studios, esports teams, publishers, content and rights owners, and hardware developers.

Doors will open at 9 a.m., with play starting at 10 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. Tournament competition begins online March 6, and will be also streamed through https://www.twitch.tv/georgiastateu and https://www.twitch.tv/georgiastateu2.

Held once each fall and spring semester, PantherLAN will include gameplay in “League of Legends,” “Hearthstone,” “Overwatch” and “Dragon Ball FighterZ.” The event will also host the Georgia Esports League (GEL) championships in “SMITE,” “Paladins” and “Brawlhalla,” sponsored by the Georgia Game Developers Association (GGDA).

The event will also include panels and workshops by GEL and the GGDA, featuring talent and producers from multiple companies and esports organizations in the Atlanta area.

Panel Schedule

10 – 11 am    Livestreaming and Shoutcasting. Wes Wilson (m), Cody Chesneau, John Finch, Jonathan Hessing, Max “Aror” Jackson

Few people heard of livestreaming and shoutcasting 10 years ago, and now they are two of the hottest topics of the 21st century. Learn how you can take advantage of these great opportunities.

11 – noon    Tools of the Trade: How the Experts Plan Their Rig. Wes Wilson (m), Erich Thomas

Esports and livestreaming have been driving the next generation of computer hardware, and a good rig can make all the difference in your success. Learn how to plan for and build the setup that can propel your future.

Noon – 1 pm    Esports Team Formation. Erich Thomas (m), Hollace Bain, Max “Aror” Jackson

Solo play can only get you so far. The real opportunities are for esports teams, and may are already worth more than a million dollars. Learn how to put together your own esports collective to compete with the best.

1 – 2 pm    Social Media for Esports Teams. Wes Wilson (m), Nicholas Bashore, Cody Chesneau, Auverin Morrow

Social media is as intrinsic to a team’s success as are its players’ skills. Learn to make the most of these important channels and build your value accordingly.

2 – 3 pm   Your Esports Fitness Regimen. Dr. Matt Lopez, Brian Finn, Lead Athletic Trainer and Strength Coach for Northisde Hospital Sports Medicine Network; and Lauren Cicinelli, Licensed Dietian and Nutrition Expert;

Esports don’t give you concussions, but they have their own fitness challenges. You can’t compete for four or more hours unless you are in shape, and injuries can derail your career in an instant. Learn how to prepare yourself for competition and keep yourself in shape.

Speakers

Nicholas Bashore – Paladins Esports Community Manager

Nicholas ‘Avi’ Bashore has been playing video games since he was a little over a year old, starting with DOOM and Wolfenstein on his grandfather’s lap. Since his first journey into the digital world, Nicholas has been dedicated to building a career in the gaming industry through community-driven content in both written and broadcast formats.

A former YouTube partner, Twitch broadcaster, and gaming journalist; Nicholas is currently working at Skillshot as a Senior Esports Community Manager for Paladins: Champions of the Realm.

Hollace Bain – The Grandes

Hollace has had experience creating two separate Counter-Strike esports teams, both of which have found success in their respective leagues.

Hollace first formed a team in 2016 with the creation of the Georgia State Counter-Strike team, which found itself ranked #2 in the country’s collegiate rankings, and most recently in 2017 with the creation of his ESEA CS:GO team – “The Grandes”.

Cody Chesneau – Livestreamer

Cody Chesneau, MMS, runs Film Quality Services, a studio in Flowery Branch, Georgia, that specializes in live streaming corporate or music events, videography, photography, DJing, mixing, and mastering, podcasting, and green screen work. Cody has worked along side some of the biggest names in the dance community, including Nora En Pure, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Truth, Wick-it The Insitgator, Ill Gates, Minnesota, Will Clarke and many more. He has done specialized setups at multiple music festivals and shows like Spin & Escape. In 2016, he started a livestream called Spin & Chill where he interviewed artists and broadcasted mixes live. From 2016 to 2017, he acquired over 50,000 views and over 150,000 minutes watched. This stream has been on hold until his new production studio opens later this 2019.

He also DJs under the alias Echobreaker. A musician first, a curator second; he loves to bring his Atlanta roots to the dance community and other parts of the globe. His most notable appearances are playing Imagine Festival 2017 and 2018, Dreamhack 2018, Believe Music Hall, and Slow & Low. 

Lauren Cicinelli – Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)

Lauren Cicinelli is a Registered Dietitian and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD). She has experience working with competitive and recreational athletes.

Lauren earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Toledo, her Master of Science in Nutrition Science from Syracuse University, and completed her dietetic internship through Cornell University. Lauren’s Master’s thesis included original research on the nutrition habits and perspectives of marathon runners. 

John Finch – SMITE Shoutcaster

John Finch has been doing two things for as long as he can remember; gaming and talking. Casting was the perfect marriage of those things, and it didn’t hurt that SMITE was his passion. A product of theatre and debate, communication and performance are as familiar to him as Triforces and respawns. When Hi-Rez put out a casting call Finch jumped at the opportunity to get involved in a community he loved, even with no formal esports experience. Supported and molded by experienced professionals, he came into his own.

Now a full fledged member of the casting squad at Skillshot, Finch takes every opportunity to bring his unique perspective and experiences to the team. Whether that’s videos, live productions, hosting events or casting some of the best esports action out there, Finch is working to making every season of SMITE better than the last.  

Brian Finn – Lead Athletic Trainer and Strength Coach

Brian Finn is a certified athletic trainer.  His clientele
ranges from collegiate and nationally ranked athletes and sports teams
to private clients pursuing their personal best.  He plays rugby and
soccer, and enjoys surfing, snowboarding, and backpacking. He has led
backpacking excursions in Costa Rica, Belize, and the Sierras, and is a
certified scuba diver.

Brian’s athletic experience and commitment to fitness and good
health, combined with his education and training, enable him to measure
his clients’ needs and develop a custom plan that ensures success.

Andrew Greenberg – Commissioner, Georgia Esports League

Andrew Greenberg, commissioner of the Georgia Esports League, has been making his living as a game developer since 1990. Best known for designing computer games and roleplaying games, Andrew is lead developer on the recently released Fading Suns: Noble Armada PC game.

A fellow with the Mythic Imagination Institute, Andrew is also executive director of the Georgia Game Developers Association and organizer of the Southeast Interactive Entertainment and Games Expo (SIEGE). He serves on the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Commission and chairs the DeKalb Entertainment Commission.

Jonathan Hessing – Livestreaming

Jonathan is an evangelist of all things consumer tech. His main job is to handle business development with a cutting-edge livestreaming delivery company based in Duluth, GA. He is also part of a company video marketing company that focuses on livestreaming large scale evets for brands to engage with their target markets. He is fascinated by, and a huge advocate for livestreaming (and all of its use cases), esports, VR, and marketing. Jonathan also has a podcasts that features different kinds of hustlers and entrepreneurs in long form conversation to discuss entrepreneurship, creating a life by design, and other interesting topics.

Max “Aror” Jackson – Splyce

Maxwell “Aror” Jackson found SMITE in 2012 during closed beta. His competitive career began at release with Season 1 of the SPL. Since then, he’s played in all seasons of the SPL and qualified for all super regional events. He has two SMITE World Championship appearances, including his first-place finish in 2018 (Season 5). Aror’s trademark playstyle focuses around off-meta support picks and innovating the role. 

Dr. Matt Lopez – Senior Sports Physical Therapist

Dr. Matt Lopez is a board-certified sports physical therapist who specializes in the treatment and rehabilitation of sports-related injuries. As the Senior Sports Physical Therapist for the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network, Dr. Lopez develops rehabilitation guidelines, and leads both the Elite Performance Therapy division out of the Buckhead location and the PT Enhancement Program. He is passionate about returning athletes to peak performance, and uses a wide range of treatments, including dry needling, cupping and blood flow restriction therapy.Dr. Lopez has experience has experience treating patients of all ages and skill levels, and has a special interest in rugby. He served as the Head Team Physical Therapist for the Ohio State Men’s Rugby Club, and has traveled both nationally and internationally as a member of the medical team for the USA Rugby National 15’s team, USA Rugby 7’s and All-Americans. Additionally, he worked as the team physical therapist with the Ohio Aviators professional rugby team, and the Major League Lacrosse’s Ohio Machine. In addition to providing patient care, Dr. Lopez has published research and presented for national events, including the USA Rugby Medical Symposium and the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting.  

Auverin Morrow – SMITE Esports Community Manager

Auverin Morrow is a former games journalist who started out covering the RPG and indie beats. But after her first foray into writing about the world of esports, she never looked back. Captivated by the passion of the esports industry and the tight-knit community of both pro players and fans, Auverin soon realized she wanted to be more involved in the scene. She left the games journalism field to pursue a career at Skillshot Media, where she is now the Senior Community Manager (and part-time memer) for all SMITE esports.

Erich Thomas – Pharaoh’s Conclave

A native of Atlanta, GA, Erich has been committed to mentoring young people in the pursuit of careers in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and the Arts for the past 15 years. In 2015, he co-founded both Pharaoh’s Conclave (PCX) and its non-profit arm PCX GO! who’s mission is to connect the eSports ecosystem with the infrastructure needed to support all key stakeholders in building skills and capabilities through information, instruction, and education.

In 2018, Erich along with his co-founder Dr. Jakita Thomas launched WePLAY eLeague with a focus on providing a safe place for individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, and ages can come together, engage in, and enjoy the most diverse competitive eSports experience in the world, and LVL UP Academy (LVL-U) a self-directed on-line base learning platform designed to assist individuals in building the skills necessary to enter into careers in the Video Game and Digital Entertainment Industry.

On June 21st, PCX GO! will be hosting the 3rd Annual GA High School eSports Invitational (GHSeI) where over $10,000 in scholarships have been awarded to the returning two-time champion Tucker High School Tiger Squad. Later this summer, PCX GO! and WePLAY eLeague, in partnership with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and Jam On It will be hosting the Inaugural National Amateur eSports Championship (the OASIS Cup) the 1st Grade Level eSports Competition of its kind which will be held July 5 – 7, 2019, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, further establishing a true pipeline to move people from amateur to professional in and around the Video Game and Digital Entertainment Industry. (for more info visit www.pcxnow.com)

Wes Wilson – Streamer Extraordinaire

Kevin Bacon needs 7 degrees, Wes usually only needs 4. Having worked in podcasting, content creation, streaming and events for over a decade, he’s likely worked with or entertained people far closer than you’d expect. His portfolio includes running conventions across the southeast, creating gaming and variety video content on almost every major platform, hundreds of hours interviewing industry professionals, and building connections across all strata of creatives in fandom. Be sure to let him know what exciting project he should pick up next!

Cody Chesneau – Film Quality Services

You can also watch the GEL games on either
https://www.twitch.tv/georgiastateu or
https://www.twitch.tv/skillshot 

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/56eza91NotA2

Parking

GSU’s G-Deck is directly adjacent to the Sports Arena and free to all attendees on Sat April 6th.

Please plan to use the Central Ave. entrance and exit for G-Deck during the tournament.

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