NTUC Club and The Gym Host Singapore’s Most Lucrative MLBB Esports Championship
SINGAPORE, December 6 2021- You are invited to witness the most lucrative amateur esports tournament at Downtown East on Dec 12, where the prize purse boasts vouchers and prizes are worth more than $14,500. On this day, eight teams will battle it out at the highly-anticipated ECHAMP 2021 Grand Finals. One winning team will be crowned, snagging the top prize of $5,390.
ECHAMP 2021 is the first tournament to kick off the three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NTUC Club and The Gym esportscentre. Both organisations are committed to promoting esports and growing the community in Singapore, introducing national-level tournaments, masterclasses and workshops.
NTUC Club is the leisure and entertainment arm of National Trades Union Congress. It also leads the efforts of engaging communities of the Labour Movement like nEbO (NTUC’s youth membership arm) and U Sports (for sports enthusiasts). The Gym, which started operations in February 2020, is Asia’s first esports co-working space and production studio that hosts tournaments with players onsite and online.
On Dec 12, the closed-door ECHAMP 2021 Grand Finals at Downtown East will take centrestage (in a physical setting) at D’Marquee indoor venue. This is the culmination of the online qualifiers from Nov 19-26, featuring 64 of Singapore’s best amateur Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) teams.
Supported by Pasir Ris East Youth Network , ECHAMP 2021 Grand finals will be graced by My Sharael Taha , Advisor to Pasir Ris East GROs.
Passion and Commitment In Esports
The collaborative effort between NTUC Club and The Gym will see up to 100 hybrid and virtual esports events being planned annually, in the next three years.
One of the main objectives is to allow youths to gain deeper insights of the esports industry, such as behind-the-scenes productions and career opportunities. They can also learn the ropes from industry leaders as well as pick up responsible gaming habits through masterclasses and learning journeys.
For a start, members of NTUC’s extensive union network including nEbO and U Sports communities will be able to participate in the programmes. In the pipeline are initiatives to include the wider esports community and the public.
“We need to keep up with the ever-evolving trends among the youth and esports is an effective platform for community bonding,” said Ms Gigi Low, NTUC Club’s Membership Engagement & Experience Director. “Beyond fun and responsible gaming, we hope to help them see the opportunities and benefits of the sport – new skill sets such as live streaming, game development, and digital content production, which could lead to potential careers.”
Bringing The Top Game
The Gym, which is behind the production and organisation of MPL SG (Singapore’s first MLBB professional league), will bring its top game in production, professionalism and technical expertise to the events it co-organises with NTUC Club.
With the wide array of facilities, Downtown East – NTUC Club’s lifestyle destination – is well positioned to host top class esports events such as competitions, conferences, workshops, talks and more.
The Gym’s founder and CEO Mr Neo Yong Aik said: “Our mission at The Gym has always been to build a vibrant esports community from the ground up and help Singapore’s Esports industry rise to new heights.
“Through our events, we want to give the community a taste of what a professional set up is like. From high-quality production value, better prize money and the ability to compete in a grand venue like D’Marquee at Downtown East, NTUC Club and The Gym will leverage on our wide network of contacts to create meaningful events and opportunities for the Singapore Esports industry.”