Baylor Joins Groundbreaking USA Esports Alliance
WACO, Texas — USA Esports has announced the formation of a national alliance uniting professional esports organizations and leading collegiate institutions under a single coordinated framework, marking the first time these segments have been formally connected in the United States.
The alliance brings together key stakeholders across the esports ecosystem to support the development of a national structure designed to strengthen competitive pathways and position the United States on the international stage.
Eleven of North America’s most established professional esports organizations have formally aligned with USA Esports, including 100 Thieves, Dignitas, TSM, Spacestation Gaming, FlyQuest, Cloud9, Team Liquid, NRG, Misfits Gaming, M80 and Ghost Gaming. These organizations represent top-tier talent across major competitive titles including League of Legends, VALORANT, Counter-Strike, Rocket League and Call of Duty.
Seventeen universities from VOICE’s Presidents Advisory Council are also part of the founding alliance, including University of Kentucky, University of Oklahoma, University of North Dakota, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of California, Los Angeles, Maryville University, Syracuse University, University of California, Irvine, University of Hawaiʻi, Wichita State University, Texas Tech University, West Virginia University, Baylor University, Texas Christian University, University of Utah, and University of Texas at Dallas.
Collegiate programs serve as a critical component of the national development pipeline, connecting campus competition to professional opportunities and future international representation.
USA Esports was established to address longstanding fragmentation within the U.S. esports ecosystem, where professional teams, collegiate programs and amateur competition have historically operated independently. The newly announced alliance represents a coordinated effort to unify those pathways under a single national structure.
The organization incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in August 2025 following a multi-month discovery process led through VOICE (Voice of Intercollegiate Esports), which included engagement with professional organizations, collegiate leaders and traditional sports governing bodies.
USA Esports is structured around an athlete-centered governance model, with a requirement that at least one-third of all standing committee members be active athletes. The organization will also establish an Athletes’ Advisory Council to provide direct representation and input on governance, competition standards and athlete development.
The organization is building toward recognition as a National Governing Body, similar to USA Baseball, U.S. Soccer, and USA Basketball, with the goal of establishing long-term infrastructure for competition, safety standards and athlete progression from scholastic esports through the professional level.
Additional details regarding future programming, competition structure, and membership expansion will be announced in the coming months.
ABOUT BAYLOR ESPORTS
Baylor Esports was formally established in 2025 with the hiring of Adam Stanley as the program’s first director and varsity coach. For the inaugural 2025-2026 season, Baylor is sponsoring a three-person Rocket League team, with professional gamers Colby “hockser” James, Andrew “Andy” Nolan and Kadin “Zineel” Zineelabidine already making waves in the global esports community. The varsity competition program enhances a longstanding gaming culture within the campus community, joining Oso Esports, Baylor’s gaming club that was established in 2017. Baylor Esports continues to build partnerships with Oso to form the Baylor Esports Academy – similar to professional soccer academies – to train and elevate student-athletes for future varsity rosters in expanded gaming competitions.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.
ABOUT USA ESPORTS
USA Esports is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting esports athletes in achieving sustained competitive excellence in domestic and international competition. The organization promotes a unified national structure for esports in the United States while fostering a safe, positive environment for athletes, members and fans.
ABOUT VOICE
VOICE (Voice of Intercollegiate Esports) is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing collegiate esports through institutional collaboration, leadership development and national advocacy. The organization works with universities across the country to support the growth and sustainability of esports programs in higher education.