Breda Guardians - Building a local esports community

Breda Guardians - Building a local esports community

10/09/2023 - 13:02

In the heart of Breda, a passionate group of individuals came together to create an esports community known as Breda Guardians. Founded in 2015 by Ruben Been, who also teaches at Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), the community set out on a unique mission—to foster a local sense of belonging within the world of esports.

Jesse Hoogerman and Luca van der Eng, third-year Leisure and Events students and key figures within Breda Guardians, shared their insights into the organization's journey, its current status, and future aspirations.
Leisure & Events
  • Stories

What is Breda Guardians? 

‘Breda Guardians is more than just an esports community; it's a local movement,’ Jesse began. He explained that the initial vision was to build a local community centred on the love for esports. During its early years, the community faced challenges as the local government and other entities failed to recognize its potential. However, in 2021, BUas, in collaboration with the municipality of Breda, provided support to help turn the dream into reality.  

Luca added, ‘In September 2022, we opened our doors to students, marking the beginning of a true sense of community. People with shared passions and visions for esports gather here.’ He further noted that Breda Guardians keeps a close eye on its monthly participant count, ensuring that the community continues to grow.  

In addition to being a hub for gamers, Breda Guardians also houses esports teams, with plans to formalize contracts to further elevate the competitive aspect of the organization.  

The home base for Breda Guardians is The Hive, a space located on the ground floor of the Frontier building on the BUas campus.  

Who is Breda Guardians intended for?

The inclusivity of Breda Guardians is at the core of its mission. Luca emphasized, ‘Anyone with a connection to Breda, whether they work, live, study, or play here, is welcome. Our doors are open from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, with teams often training in the evenings.’  

Breda Guardians offers a wide range of games to cater to diverse interests, including FIFA, Rocket League, Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Valorant, and Formula 1 games, the latter thanks to newly acquired racing seats.  

What is your role in the organisation? 

As community manager, Jesse's primary focus is on nurturing the community itself. He handles equipment requests, timeslots for team training, and manages Discord server channels. Jesse also actively engages in stakeholder management, seeking partnerships and sponsorships to help grow the community's presence.  

Luca, as the event manager, is responsible for organizing Breda Guardians' events. He highlighted the success of their grand opening in April 2023, an event that targeted businesses and potential sponsors. Luca also manages esports events, tournaments, LAN parties, and watch parties, in collaboration with Guardians Tournaments, a Discord server dedicated to organising esports tournaments automatically. Additionally, Luca oversees live stream productions by students from BUas's esports minor and the Leisure & Events specialisation sports & esports. 

What's your best Breda Guardians memory? 

Both Jesse and Luca have fond memories of key milestones in Breda Guardians' journey. Jesse takes pride in coaching the Valorant team to become the Dutch champions. 

For Luca, a significant milestone was the official opening of Breda Guardians to external businesses, tournament organisers, and sponsors, solidifying the organisation's presence within the industry. 

Why is this interesting for industry partners? 

‘We've established several partnerships with industry connections,’ Jesse explained. Breda Guardians serves as a testing ground for games, benefiting both students and studios. An example is the collaboration with student team Tonk that made the game Attic Panic. They tested their game in The Hive. 

What are your ambitions and plans for Breda Guardians? 

The duo expressed their ambition to make Breda Guardians financially independent, currently relying on subsidies from the municipality. They hope to achieve this by securing sponsorships and memberships, reducing dependence on BUas and the local government. Additionally, they aim to expand their physical space beyond BUas to attract a broader audience.  

Upcoming events  

Breda Guardians has a series of exciting events lined up. On Thursday, October 26th, they will host a game day featuring Nintendo games, followed by another game day on Thursday, November 2nd, featuring Rocket League.  

Luca mentioned ongoing efforts to collaborate with Team NL to establish a national Rocket League team and highlighted the arrival of Team NL League of Legends at The Hive. Additionally, from December 12th to December 18th, there will be daily tournaments featuring various games, including Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, FIFA, Rocket League, and League of Legends. 

 

To stay updated on Breda Guardians' events and activities, you can reach out to them via email ([email protected]), visit their website, or join their Discord server. The esports community of Breda welcomes all who share their passion for gaming, community, and competitive play!