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(FINAL) OU Esports Club & Longhorn Gaming Program the 2nd Annual Red River Clash on Nov 7 & 8, 2020!

By October 29, 2020November 11th, 2020Breaking News, Event Coverage, Philanthropy, Spotlights12 min read

OVERVIEW (DEVELOPING, LAST UPDATE 10.29.20 @ 10PM)

DISCLAIMER: Before we start this article please be aware that it is in active development and some variables may change. We will do our best to keep the timestamp current to any changes as well as push big changes to social media to bring awareness to this article. It will also evolve to a post game score board and repository for saved videos from the panels.

It’s that time of year for one of the biggest rivalries in the region to come back! You know OUTX and the Red River Rivalry but we march to our own drum as we let the iconic grudge match have its traditional 2nd week of October showcase. Now it’s time for these two campuses to face off in a different arena. Esports! 2020 will historically go down as the year of disruption, change, and controversy. However, gaming and esports gained massive acceleration because of the need for more virtual and socially-distanced programming. Luckily, for fans of gaming and esports this has been the norm since the late 90s and birth of online multiplayer gameplay. We’ll make this a physical event in the years to come, for now, it’s 100% virtual.

Nobody enjoys beating UT like Oklahoma and nobody enjoys beating OU like UT. In the spirit of good sportsmanship we are tapping into that healthy exchange of competition to build up our topic into the mainstream. As we see DFW become an epicenter for esports business for the globe and two of the largest universities push the agenda further, the timing is perfect to further boost our topic. In the mainstream, gaming and esports are often viewed only as entertainment and time sinks. However, this sport is a global one with League of Legends now representing the 3rd most watched organized entertainment sport after the NFL and NBA. Additionally, League of Legends “Worlds Finals” now sees viewership surpassing the NFL Super Bowl. This is no longer a niche industry as it’s trajectory puts it on course to match and surpass the NFL in revenue in just 6-7 years from now.

2020 2ND ANNUAL PROMO

Historical Information

2020 marks the 2nd annual Red River Clash series with our friends (and enemies) over at The University of Texas at Austin affectionately known and branded as Longhorn Gaming. In 2019, we kicked off this new evolution of tradition into esports, hosting showcases in just two games, Overwatch and League of Legends. This year, further elevation at both campuses and more students involved than ever before sees us facing off in a two day event across seven(7) different games!! We’ll get to that schedule shortly, but first let’s talk about the significance of this event across much of higher education.

Now both of these campuses are not new into this topic at all. UT enjoys a long history in gaming and esports development through its Longhorn Gaming student organization and community with plenty of history as well as alumni in the industry. This topic represents a huge opportunity for UT to expand curriculum and research, create new jobs and fuel an entire movement with more institutional support.

In September 2020, the University of Oklahoma elevated it’s Esports Club into the new Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation department housed underneath Student Affairs with a roadmap aimed at creating a full-fledged department similar to athletics as a standalone entity. Everything you will see in this two day event are the results of the purest of grassroots energies over the course of several years to show that students are demanding this and not at just OU and UT but at over 200+ universities now across the US and Canada.

2019 INAUGURAL PROMO

2020 PROGRAM EXPANSION

This year we’re expanding our broadcast from OU exclusively hosting the full production to collaborative production to ensure fluid programming and allow fans of these schools to tune in when they want to. While we are bringing two streams online we are also expanding community and informational programming too. If you think this is just about playing a video game? It’s not! We’re bringing three panels to kick off the Saturday and Sunday’s event and then to close it out at the end on Sunday.

Before we get into the program we are also using this culturally relevant gaming weekend to align our energies with the global fundraiser, “Extra Life”, which raises funds through gaming communities for the Children’s Miracle Network. This  allows us to provide engaging programming to those fans that want competitive energies to cheer as well as gaming community energies to watch and be a part of. Extra Life streams are usually 24 hour streams over the first weekend of November globally. The OU Esports Club has a deep foundational mission for philanthropic opportunities and has a huge emphasis on supporting our own backyard.

Now, take a look at the upcoming 2020 2nd Annual Red River Clash weekend programming below.

SUPPORT THE OU EXTRA LIFE FUNDRAISER

Click the above link to contribute to OU’s Extra Life campaign and get involved with our community programming.

THE PROGRAM

  • Panels will be defined further below.
  • “*” Defined timeline events are OU Extra Life charity programs.
  • Each event will be defined as OU or LG to show you which Twitch channel to find that stream on and are directly referenced and linked below the schedule.

Saturday, November 7, 2020:

  • 10AM* – OU – Jackbox Community Stream
  • 12PM* – OU – Teamfight Tactics Community Stream
  • 245PM – OU – Leadership Panel
  • 330PM – LG – Super Smash Brothers – OU vs LG Grudge Match
  • 430PM – OU – Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Siege – OU vs LG Grudge Match
  • 6PM – LG – Overwatch – OU vs LG Grudge Match
  • 8PM – OU – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – OU vs LG Grudge Match
  • 10PM* – OU – Among Us Community Stream
  • 12AM* – OU – Jackbox Community Stream

Sunday, November 8, 2020:

  • 1130AM – OU – Competitive Panel
  • 12:30PM – LG – Rocket League OU vs LG Grudge Match
  • 2PM – OU – Counterstrike: Global Offensive OU vs LG Grudge Match
  • 4PM – LG – League of Legends OU vs LG Grudge Match
  • 630PM – OU – Other Opportunities in Esports Panel
  • 7:15PM* – OU – Minecraft Community Stream
  • 9PM* – OU – Among Us Community Stream

THE LONGHORN GAMING (LG) TWITCH STREAM

THE OU ESPORTS CLUB (OU) TWITCH STREAM

THE RED RIVER 2020 PANELS

Panel 1 – Leadership and How This Event Came to Be

When: November 7, 2020 @ 245PM – OU Esports Club Twitch

Overview: This panel will focus on all the logistics involved to make this event happen. It will also provide a glimpse into the organizational structures from each development and their similarities and differences. 

  • Moderator – Mike “Moog” Aguilar, Director of Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation, OU
    • Panelists:
      • Jasmine Graves – President – OU Esports Club
      • Jon “RadPanda” Hudson – Director of Intercollegiate Competition, OU Esports Club
      • Ashley Kim – President – Longhorn Gaming
      • Daniel Killough – VP of External Affairs – Longhorn Gaming

Panel 2 – Competitive Development in Esports

When: November 8, 2020 @ 1130AM – OU Esports Club Twitch

Overview: This panel will focus on defining what collegiate esports competitive development is about from the grassroots standpoints. It’s hard to think about what the world looked like before football evolved into the NCAA and NFL, but thats exactly where we are right now in collegiate esports development.

  • Moderator – Tyler Meffert – Esports Director, Longhorn Gaming
    • Panelists:
      • Ahir Chatterjee – Head Coach, League of Legends, Longhorn Gaming
      • Joshua “Thumper” Riesenberg – Head Coach, Overwatch, OU Esports Club
      • Joseph “Ender” Savala – (Alumni) Head Coach, League of Legends, OU Esports Club

Panel 3 – Other Opportunities in The Gaming/Esports Industry

When: November 8, 2020 @ 645PM – OU Esports Club Twitch

Overview: This panel will help you understand that there is way more to this than just playing games. The traditional sports entertainment industry would not be what it is today without all the infrastructure created around the showcase event of match play. Esports is no different. 

  • Moderator – Mike “Moog” Aguilar, Director of Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation, OU
    • Panelists:
      • Shreya Agarwala – Digital Productions Director, Longhorn Gaming
      • Brian Christiansen – PR Director, Longhorn Gaming
      • Jaygo Greeson – Family Director, Longhorn Gaming
      • Matthew Miller – Director of Streaming Entertainment, OU Esports Club
      • Austin Nguyen – Director of Production, OU Esports Club
      • Derek Snow – Director of Media & News, OU Esports Club

LETTER TO ALL GAMERS, ALUMNI, FANS AND COLLEGIATE ADMINISTRATORS | ARTICLE CONCLUSION

To All Gaming & Esports Sooners & Longhorns Alike:

“Traditions Evolved, Rivalries Maintained” is our mantra as we lean on each other to push the agenda forward. This past Fall OU elevated it’s OU Esports Club by funding a directorial role under Student Affairs and creating the Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation department. This means The University of Oklahoma is now strategically developing esports infrastructure for research, curriculum, recruitment, scholarships, and everything else you could think of. This isn’t a jab at UT’s administration nor is it something we want to be taken lightly. We need UT boosted as well as our other Big 12 and Power 5 peers! We want to face off against our Longhorn adversaries and find these new business opportunities of revenue generation and diversification in our passion and shared industry. We hope this predominately student driven collaboration helps both campuses understand the desire and absolute need for further support, elevation, and development in the topic of gaming community and esports development.

Despite this article being hosted on the Sooner Nation’s esports media outlet, we can’t wait to destroy LG(UT) on the digital battlefield, but look forward to further collaboration to create additional opportunities in our venerable university landscapes. Boomer Sooner to all our fans, alumni, and partners! And as the finale to this collaborative energy, Hook ‘Em Horns to all the UT fans, alumni, and partners! Now that that is over, GAME ON! LET’S GO!!!! BEAT TEXAS!!

-Mike “Moog” Aguilar, M.B.A, Director of Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation, The University of Oklahoma
LinkedIn | Twitter

P.S. – Consider this a formal “can they come out and play” request. <3 

SPECIAL THANKS TO (EVENT FACILITATORS)

Leadership & Logistics

Head Event Coordinator: Jonathan “RadPanda” Hudson, Director of Intercollegiate Competition

Org President: Jasmine Graves, President

Full Event Oversight: Mike “Moog” Aguilar, M.B.A, OU Director of Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation

Head Event Coordinator: Brock Brennan

Org President: Ashley Kim, President

Full Event Oversight: Daniel Killough, VP of External Affairs

Production & Casters

Production Lead: Austin “RexGoDragon” Nguyen

Casters:

  • CoD: Jody Farmer, Joshua Riesenberg
  • CS:GO: Joshua Lee
  • League of Legends: Brandon Villarreal
  • Overwatch: Nate Smart, Nicholas Cooper(Camera)
  • Smash: Caleb Moss
  • R6: Austin Nguyen

Production Lead: Shreya “Raven” Agarwala

Casters:

  • CS:GO: Ryan Hannigan
  • League of Legends: Josh Tran
  • Overwatch: Nick O’Brien
  • Smash: Ankur Kaushik
  • R6: Alistair Henderson
  • Rocket League: Michael Becker, Bryan Bowling

Call of Duty Teams

Head Coach: Jody “BosnWifey” Farmer

Captain: James “JHarp” Harper

Captain: Zain Sheikh

 

Counterstrike: Global Offensive Teams

Head Coach: Justin “Bardo” Lombardo

Captain: Ryan “ShAkin” Akin

Captain: Peter Pham

Roster: 

League of Legends Teams

Head Coach: Joseph “Ender” Savala, 2019 Alumni

Captain: Connor “Solaris” Spain

Head Coach: Isaac Castenada

Overwatch Teams

Head Coach: Joshua “Thumper” Riesenberg

Captain: Julian “Wumbologist” Mendiola

Captain: Nick O’Brien

Rainbow 6 Siege Teams

Captain: Mason “Issues” Johnson

Captain: Nick Smeraldo

Rocket League Teams

Captain: Chris “chriseh555” Arterberry

Captain: Anthony Giacinto

Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Teams

Captain: Kaleb “Slawdini” Slawson

Captain: Ankur Kaushik

OU Extra Life Streamers

Extra Life Coordinator: Kara “Kelbright” Brightwell, Outreach Coordinator

ABOUT THE OU ESPORTS CLUB

The OU Esports Club is in the process of conversion into the newly formed Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation department housed under OU Student Affairs in Fall 2020.

Discord | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

LinkedIn | Twitch | Website | Email

ABOUT LONGHORN GAMING

Longhorn Gaming represents one of the oldest student driven grassroots organizations in the history of all collegiate developments.

Discord | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

LinkedIn | Twitch | Website | Email

AFTER EVENT INFORMATION AND NUMBERS

THE GAME RESULTS

SMASH BROTHERS | +5 stocks | Longhorn Gaming
RAINBOW SIX SIEGE | 2-0 | Longhorn Gaming
OVERWATCH | 2-3 | OU Esports
CALL OF DUTY | 3-0 | Longhorn Gaming
ROCKET LEAGUE | 4-0 | Longhorn Gaming
COUNTERSTRIKE | 2-1 | Longhorn Gaming
LEAGUE OF LEGENDS | 2-0 | Longhorn Gaming

OVERALL: 6-1 LONGHORN GAMING

AVERAGE VIEWERSHIP

OU COMMUNITY STREAMS: 25-35
ALL COMPETITIVE STREAMS: 40-50
ALL PANEL STREAMS: 35-45

PEAK VIERWERSHIP STREAMS:
Longhorn Hosted League of Legends: 75-85
OU Hosted Rainbow Six Siege: 65-75

ESTIMATED VIEWERSHIP OVERALL: 750-1000

CHARITY NUMBERS

Extra Life runs throughout the year with the biggest days being during the first weekend of November. This is the snapshot numbers of our fundraising drives during the two day event. Additionally, other members of community were members of the collective team and is the reason for the higher “FULL TEAM AMOUNT”.

LONGHORN GAMING: $590
OU ESPORTS CLUB: $650
FULL TEAM AMOUNT: $2600

At the start and end of every production regardless of which channel these videos were played to promote Longhorn Gaming and The OU Esports Club as well as Extra Life:

INTRO #1

INTRO #2

OUTRO/THANKS

Mike "Moog" Aguilar

Mike "Moog" Aguilar is the Director of Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation at OU. He also works for OU IT doing project management and business analysis as well as an adjunct instructor for the Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communication. He is a US Army veteran, has worked for Apple, worked in the public sector, and is a photographer of two decades. Mike has been a gamer since the Atari in the 80s and has been pioneering esports and gaming development and innovation at OU since 2016.

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