PlayVS and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Network Sign Multi-Year Partnership to Expand Varsity Esports Across the U.S.

Since 2018, PlayVS and NFHS Network have driven scholastic esports growth, quintupling member associations and enabling over 151,000 matches to date

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PlayVS the leading esports platform for high school leagues in North America, has announced that it has extended its official partnership with the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) Network through 2028. In partnership with the NFHS Network, PlayVS will expand its mission to bring the powerful benefits of esports to students everywhere.

Since partnering in 2018, PlayVS and the NFHS Network have propelled high school esports into the mainstream. Growing from just five member associations, adoption has quintupled to 25 NFHS member associations and affiliates nationwide resulting in 409 state champions across PlayVS partner publishers like 2K, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and Nintendo. Together, the two have transformed high school esports into one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.

Today, esports programs boast an average size of over 28 students, rivaling traditional sports like baseball thanks in large part to accessibility: esports are co-ed, safe and don’t require specific physical attributes to be successful. Nearly half (45%) of surveyed players say that esports are their very first experience participating in an extracurricular school activity. Additionally, 90% of esports coaches see participant improvement in socialization; 74% see improvement in mental health and 60% see improvement in grades.

“PlayVS’ mission is to bring the positive benefits of esports to as many students as possible. Counting the NFHS Network as a partner will allow us to expand on that mission at an unprecedented level,” said Jon Chapman, CEO, PlayVS. “The NFHS Network has already been an instrumental partner in igniting schools, students, and parents to realize the potential of esports. Looking forward, with their unwavering support, PlayVS can create a lasting positive impact on more schools and communities than ever before.”

The NFHS’ decision to extend its partnership with PlayVS is largely due to strong state association adoption, its robust platform, intuitive league experience, and the large community. PlayVS has seen an average of over 90% retention within an academic year from esports programs, and its turn-key solution has allowed high schools to not only easily adopt esports, but continue to build upon their programs season after season.

“Our partnership with PlayVS has truly been a catalyst for the exponential growth, and we’re proud to be part of the sport’s rapid evolution,” added Julian Tackett, Chair of the NFHS Network Board of Directors and Executive Director of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. “PlayVS’ esports programs have had a profound impact on high school students. We look forward to continuing to scale esports adoption through PlayVS leagues for years to come.”

Since the partnership’s inception, PlayVS, along with publishing partners, has awarded over $1 million in college scholarships and prizes, contributed $2 million in hardware and software, and solidified its commitment to student access and opportunities by becoming the official partner of the Special Olympics.

In November 2023, PlayVS announced it would remove competition enrollment fees for all state and regional leagues, enabling students to partake in the highest tier of scholastic competition across the most popular gaming titles beginning with the Spring 2024 season. More information can be found at www.playvs.com/news/next-chapter, and the registration deadline is February 16, 2024.

ABOUT PLAYVS

PlayVS (pronounced Play Versus) is North America’s leading scholastic esports platform, on a mission to unlock the many benefits of esports for players everywhere. PlayVS offers a single community in which players, coaches, educators and parents come together to compete, connect and grow through the power of esports. PlayVS is the official high school esports partner to the NFHS Network, the Special Olympics and state and regional organizations in the U.S. and Canada that offer officially sanctioned scholastic esports leagues. To learn more about PlayVS, visit https://playvs.com/.

ABOUT NFHS NETWORK

The NFHS Network is the leader in streaming Live and On Demand high school sports.

The NFHS Network covers 27 different regular season and postseason sports, as well as other high school activities, celebrating the accomplishments of student-athletes, student-broadcasters, and high schools across the country.

The NFHS Network is a joint venture between the NFHS, 51-member state associations and PlayOn! Sports. Watching high school sports and events has never been easier. All NFHS Network events are available to watch online at www.NFHSnetwork.com and through the NFHS Network Mobile Apps for iOS and Android and TV Apps for ROKU, Amazon Fire, Google TV and Apple TV. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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