The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment is officially sponsoring the NYC Collegiate Esports Circuit, also known as NYCCEC. The circuit is a city-backed competitive and career development program designed to create a professional environment for New York colleges and universities to connect campus esports and gaming with careers in the creative economy.
According to the official details, NYCCEC Spring 2026 is the first esports event open exclusively to students from The City University of New York, The State University of New York, and private colleges in New York.
It will be an in-person event taking place on March 14, 2026 at 50 Bowery in New York City. The organisers have confirmed that competitive slots are limited for each game, and submitting an interest form does not guarantee acceptance. This season’s featured titles are VALORANT and League of Legends, and the finals will be held in May at the NYC Video Game Festival.
In the official announcement post, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment stated, “MOME’s thrilled to sponsor the NYC Collegiate Esports Circuit (NYCCEC), the first-ever esports competition open only to CUNY, SUNY & NYS private schools, hosted by VGAmateurs [gaming community and content creation team]!”
This wasn’t MOME’s first move into esports and gaming in NYC. The Mayor’s Office has already been putting support behind the industry. Along with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the city has invested more than $1 million so far. That includes support for Battle of the Boroughs and a $2 million grant that launched the first Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Game Development at City College of New York.
On top of that, New York is attracting some serious investment from major esports brands. Last year, Red Bull Gaming announced that its top VALORANT OFF//SEASON event, Red Bull Home Ground. On top of that, BLAST has officially expanded into the US, opening a new hub in New York.
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