TULSA, Okla. – Cheerleading and esports may not be two activities that most people would relate with each other—but think again.
The Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa, Okla., will be hosting both an esports tournament and a cheerleading competition over the weekend of Feb. 18 and 19. The co-sponsored event is a collaboration between Rockstar Championships and Battle City Youth Esports, according to an article from local TV station News on 6/KOTV.
David Owens, owner of Rockstar Championships, told News that he has been running cheerleading events for several years, and his son participates in esports tournaments, so he decided to bring the two ideas together. He expects around 2,000 cheerleaders from around the country to participate, as well as hundreds of competitors in the tournament.
According to the article, the tournament will feature competitions that include Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and online gaming. Some of the featured games include Minecraft, Rocket Brothers, and Smash Brothers.
Owens described esports as a “burgeoning market and sport.”
“They’re huge across the country, and especially internationally and so I think it’s something that we’re wanting to see how we can introduce more at a local level and more for the average kid, so that way, they can have that competitive experience closer to home,” Owens told News on 6.
