Game Changer: Our Esports Arena Celebrates its 1st Anniversary

It all started with our President and CEO, Dr. Misheck Mwaba, getting behind the wheel of one of our racing simulators, accelerating our college into the world of esports.

One year ago, Bow Valley College’s Esports Arena opened to tremendous fanfare with a big media reveal.

What a year it was. Between October 2024 to the end of June 2025, the arena logged an astonishing 7,000 visits.

As Calgary’s first Esports Arena, Bow Valley College has signaled it is firmly in the game of providing technology and services that directly tie to the economic needs of our city and province.

The college takes tremendous pride in the addition of its first varsity team, the Bears. From the competitive play organized by Bow Valley College Student Services and our Digital Entertainment Nexus team to the rollout of our creative branding. Students are now sporting incredible swag and cheering on the Bears.

Other notable achievements:

In March, our college teamed up with the Alberta Scholastic Esports League (ASEL) to host a tournament with more than 75 junior high and high school students from the Calgary Board of Education, Rocky View School Division, Golden Hills School Division, and the STEM Innovation Academy.

In May, more than 200 junior high and high school students representing approximately 25 schools from across the province did battle in the Alberta Esports Championship.

Our inaugural Indie Ignition Esports Business Accelerator wrapped up in November 2024, awarding startups $30,000.

Our arena featured prominently in our booth at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.

Our first Esports Business Management cohort is set to graduate at the end of this semester. The students are working on their capstone now, putting on a big event with the non-profit Extra Life, which donates video game equipment to children's hospitals.

All these accomplishments, and many more, demonstrate that Bow Valley College is here to launch, advance, and evolve careers.