ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has entered a partnership with the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC), aiming to advance the collegiate esports ecosystem by supplying hardware and support for competitions. The multi-faceted deal will see ROG’s gaming systems feature prominently across NECC events and culminate in the brand serving as Title Sponsor for the NECC National Championships in May.

Beyond equipment provision, the partnership encompasses program support, product integration, research initiatives, and event activations. The goal is to provide student-athletes with what the companies describe as “tournament-grade” technology to support high-level play.

In a press release, Jenny Chang, Director of Product Marketing at ASUS, emphasised the alignment with collegiate athletes’ needs, stating: “Through our partnership with NECC, we’re ensuring that student‑athletes have access to elite‑level ROG technology that supports their pursuit of peak performance and elevates not only their gaming potential, but also their success in the classroom.”

Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW) will return in 2026 with a bigger and bolder edition, taking place across 18–21 June in Cologne, Germany, alongside IEM Cologne. The schedule and details about ticket sales are available in this link.

NECC Commissioner & CEO, Jacob VanRyn, highlighted the long-term planning behind the alliance: “This partnership has been a long time in the making, and we are proud to align with the world’s leading gaming hardware brand. Our conversations with the ROG team have always centered on supporting the growth of the collegiate esports community.”

According to the announcement, ASUS ROG views the partnership as part of a broader commitment to education, leveraging esports to help students develop skills in collaboration, communication, and strategic thinking, with potential links to STEM fields and digital content creation. The NECC National Championships, powered by ROG systems, are scheduled to take place in San Antonio, Texas, this May.

This move into the collegiate esports scene follows ASUS’s ongoing activity in the professional tier. Notably, the hardware manufacturer recently renewed its partnership with BLAST Premier for the tournament organiser’s full 2026 Counter-Strike 2 season, indicating a continued strategic investment across multiple levels of the esports landscape.

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