On December 3rd, 2019, a Super Smash Bros Ultimate Tournament was held for charitable reasons. The event was hosted by the University of California Irvine (UCI) in honor of Giving Tuesday — a social good holiday that prompts consumers to donate for a variety of causes.
For the gaming event, UCI collaborated with GameChanger Charity and Amazon Web Services. The latter owns popular livestream platform Twitch, which profiled the initiative on its front page.
Hosted on the UCI eSports Arena, the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Tournament was meant to raise funds for GameChanger Charity which is a not-for-profit "leveraging technology and innovation to improve the lives of hospitalized children facing a life-threatening illness." Since its conception three years ago, UCI eSports Arena has been an avid partner of GameChanger Charity.
Fundraising Gaming Tournaments
UCI Hosted Super Smash Bros Ultimate Tournament for Giving Tuesday
Trend Themes
1. Charitable Gaming Events - Organizing gaming tournaments for fundraising purposes presents opportunities to engage gamers and raise money for charitable causes.
2. Collaboration Between Universities and Charities - Partnerships between universities and charitable organizations can leverage technology and innovation to create impactful initiatives for social good.
3. Livestreaming for Fundraising - Using livestream platforms like Twitch can help raise awareness and generate donations for charitable gaming events.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming and Esports - The gaming and eSports industry can contribute to the growth of fundraising events through sponsorships and providing the gaming infrastructure.
2. Technology and Innovation - Technological advancements and innovation can be utilized to improve the lives of hospitalized children and support charitable gaming initiatives.
3. Online Streaming and Content Platforms - Platforms like Twitch have the potential to drive engagement and reach a wider audience, while also facilitating fundraising efforts through live streaming.