Collegiate esports tournament organiser, CSL Esports, has announced that daily fantasy sports operator, PrizePicks, will be its official DFS partner. As part of this collaboration, the two entities will host The PrizePicks AWPTOBER Classic, a CS:GO online tournament featuring $25,000 in prize money.

The tournament is set to take place in October and will feature hundreds of collegiate esports teams from across North America. The final rounds of the tournament will be held during the last two weekends of October and will be broadcasted on CSL Esports’s Twitch channel.

Rob Johnson, CSL Esports CEO, expressed his excitement about the partnership and the tournament, saying, “The PrizePicks AWPTOBER Classic is a clear example of PrizePicks’ exceptional commitment to supporting collegiate esports athletes. Both PrizePicks and CSL Esports are focused on enhancing the experience of students and fans everywhere, and we are very confident this partnership will deliver a level of excitement never before seen in esports.”

Adam Wexler, PrizePicks CEO, commented on the growth of esports in the DFS industry, “Esports has gone from being a lifeline for fantasy sports in 2020 to a true line of business for us in 2021 and beyond. Collegiate esports is among the industry’s fastest-growing segments and this partnership will continue to foster that interest through the intersection of the esports and DFS audiences.”

In addition, CSL Esports and PrizePicks have partnered with women-led community the*gameHERs to promote the tournament to a wider audience. PrizePicks will sponsor the Esports Top Team of the Year award at the 2021 gameHERs Awards.

Rebecca Longawa, Collegiate Strategist for the*gameHERs, said, “Partnering with CSL and PrizePicks for this event not only encourages more women to participate and tune in, but also gives them peace of mind knowing every participant will be following the *gameHERs code of conduct.”

CSL’s efforts to enhance the collegiate esports ecosystem in North America are admirable, and it’s promising to see a growing emphasis on creating collegiate esports opportunities for women. The PrizePicks AWPTOBER Classic promises to be an exciting event, bringing together the worlds of esports and DFS for a thrilling competition.