3304 sports announces partnership with virginia tech rec sports

3304 Sports Staff

September 22, 2020

BLACKSBURG – 3304 Sports has announced a partnership with Virginia Tech Rec Sports to broadcast various esports throughout the 2020-2021 academic year.

“This is a very exciting day for 3304 Sports,” Evan Hughes, Sports Director said. “We’ve talked about as a group finding different ways to get better as broadcasters through the challenging times of the pandemic. We are grateful to Virginia Tech Rec Sports for giving us the opportunity to broadcast a growing sport around the world.”

The different esports that will be broadcast throughout the fall include Rocket League, NBA 2K20 and FIFA 20. 3304 Sports will broadcast a “Game of the Week” for two of the sports during the regular season through a Zoom setup. The championship week will be covered extensively.

“It has been an absolute joy partnering with 3304 Sports,” Will Trent, Interim Associate Director of Admin Services for Rec Sports said. “As a Hokie grad from the school of communication, I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to help provide experiential learning opportunities while also expanding high-quality programming for Rec Sports.”

Esports continues to grow rapidly in interest around the world as well as media coverage. In 2019, ESPN and ABC aired the Overwatch League. The average minute audience (AMA) was 607,000 viewers across all platforms, including a 390,000 AMA in the United States.

Virginia Tech graduate Matt Arden currently serves as the Head of Content and Media for the official NBA 2K League. In May, the 2K League announced a deal with ESPN2 and Canadian sports network Sportsnet to broadcast games.

For those interested in broadcasting esports, please contact 3304 Sports by emailing Evan Hughes at evhughes@vt.edu. To sign up to play in the esports league through Virginia Tech Rec Sports, click here.

The first week of the esports league at Virginia Tech Rec Sports begins Tuesday, Sept. 22. Shaakir Janmohammad and Liam Sment will broadcast the Rocket League matchup while Jake Lyman and Kevin DiDomenico are set to call the NBA 2K20 game. The broadcasts, which will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Twitch, can be found here. Highlights will be available @3304Sports on Twitter following the broadcasts.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH REC SPORTS: Virginia Tech Rec Sports enhances the quality of life for the university community by educating and encouraging participation in activities that promote healthy lifestyles, social interactions, and leadership skills. As leaders of the Hokie Movement, Rec Sports hosts aquatic activities, fitness and wellness programs, intramural sports and sport clubs, outdoor recreation, and multiple recreation centers including McComas Hall, War Memorial Hall, and the Rec Sports Field House. Learn more about Rec Sports by visiting their website.

ABOUT 3304 SPORTS: 3304 Sports is a multi-media online platform for student sports journalism and the digital home of JMC 3304, the sports play-by-play class at Virginia Tech. Members of the 3304 Sports team cover major college sporting events, giving them the opportunity to learn and grow in a professional environment. Combined with classroom curriculum in Virginia Tech's digital lab, students have the opportunity to learn and practice play-by-play broadcasting of actual games and develop various multi-medium journalism skills.