New Esports Tournament Hosted In Hamden

Contributed press release

HAMDEN, CT — Spring Glen resident Robert Z. Barnes, who also goes by the alias REBL, will host a second tournament for VALORANT esports gamers around the world. The tournament is hosted by VLE Challengers, an organization owned and founded by Barnes.

Players and casters from the United States, Canada, Greece, and England participated in the first official tournament over the summer, which crowned winners of the $600 prize pool in July 2024.

Registration for the current tournament opened on September 5, 2024 and teams can visit vlechallengersleague.com for more information. Registration closes on October 1, 2024, and it’s free to participate.

According to the tournament website, “VLE Challengers welcomes low-elo VALORANT players and teams of all calibers. From casual gamers to aspiring professionals, VLEC supports low-elo VALORANT players by livestreaming tournaments worldwide with formal production coverage and cash prizes.”

According to Barnes, “I’m looking forward to our tournament this Fall. There’s a huge buzz building in the low-elo VALORANT community in general, and in our Discord home specifically. We’ve grown past 500 members and our live international broadcasts boast highly-engaged spectators. Those who can’t watch the live broadcasts on Twitch.com can catch the replays on our YouTube channel.”

Barnes once funded the tournament on his own but created a sponsorship program for the Fall 2024.

When asked about funding, Barnes explained, “Allowing individuals and businesses to sponsor tournament activities was a wonderful addition for Fall 2024. Besides the prize pool, we have several administrative expenses, all covered by a 100% volunteer staff. Our current Gold Sponsor, Eli’s Tavern in Milford, is an awesome partner to have for this coming tournament. It’s especially nice since I’m already a part of their family as the Saturday night karaoke host.”

Professional-level VALORANT is played on an international stage with prize pools upwards of $1M. According to esports.net, the creator of VALORANT (Riot Games) earns more than $20M per month just from VALORANT sales. Additionally, the top professional competitors can earn over $200K annually.

Individuals and teams who are interested in participating in the VLE Challengers tournament have until October 1, 2024 to register. Registration is limited to 16 teams. Visit vlechallengersleague.com for more information, including the tournament rules.