Global esports organization Gen.G and the University of Kentucky recently announced a partnership to introduce the CatCon event.
CatCon is a regional esports and gaming conference hosted at the University of Kentucky (UK). The two-day festival will bring together students and administrators. Furthermore, the event will solidify UK’s status as one of the premier esports universities and destinations in the region.
CatCon Esports and Gaming Conference
On February 18-19, 2023, CatCon will feature community-building tournaments for student-run gaming clubs from any college. Moreover, the event will have conference-style panels for both students and administrators.
In addition, CatCon will be host to a number of networking events. While attending panel discussions and networking events, administrators will immerse themselves in the esports industry. Simultaneously, participants can learn how to best support the growing esports communities on their campuses and in their region.
The conference also marks the return of the UK Invitational Tournament. During the tournament, competitors will be playing in person for cash prizes across multiple games. These games include Halo Infinite and VALORANT.
Qualification
Basically, participants will need to qualify through an online league in order to be eligible for the in-person tournament. Spectators can watch the stream on Twitch, at twitch.tv/universityofky. Registration will open on December 20th in the official University of Kentucky Esports Lounge Discord at go.uky.edu/CornerstoneDiscord.
“Gen.G could not be more excited to work with our longtime partner to support the growing esports hub at the University of Kentucky”, said Martin Kim, Chief Revenue Officer at Gen.G. “CatCon will give both students and administrators the tools they need to thrive in this burgeoning esports region. In addition, CatCon will take the esports and gaming culture in collegiate esports to the next level.”
There will be workshops for attendees that include keynote speaker Kishonna Gray, an esteemed award-winning researcher, author, and lecturer. Gray serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky. She will discuss Examining Intersectionality Creative Storytelling in Video Games Media and more.
Career Fair
Also, student programming will include a career fair. Accordingly, companies and organizations in the gaming industry will showcase open jobs and give students insights into possible career paths. Local high school students are encouraged to attend in-person sessions. There, they can participate in private UK campus tours, Q&A sessions with current students, and more select programming during CatCon.
“CatCon will provide current and future students, community members, and aspiring administrators with the connections and knowledge they need to continue the path that the University of Kentucky and Gen.G have begun paving towards lasting esports success in our region,” said Heath Price, Associate Chief Information Officer at the University of Kentucky. “Through our continued partnership with Gen.G, we desire to be a leader in the strong thought leadership that is happening across the video gaming and esports industry. Also, we believe events like CatCon have the potential to encourage even more collaboration across the collegiate esports landscape.”
University of Kentucky and Gen.G
Gen.G and UK have partnered with VisitLex to promote attendance and build excitement for the event. VisitLex supplied resources and tailored suggestions to help educate attendees about the destination and to ensure they have the best experience while in Lexington.
Gen.G and the University of Kentucky have previously partnered on the annual Give Health Fundraiser for Kentucky Children’s Hospital. In addition, they partnered on The ChallengHER tournament aimed at promoting an inclusive and positive environment for female-identifying gamers.
Registration
Administrators and students can register at catcon.gg. A travel stipend may be provided for those within the SEC on an application basis. For questions, please reach out to events@geng.gg.
