All posts by h20_esports

Offer of Weekend Fun Nights expanded with H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend and a real esports bus

Starting this weekend, kids from the municipality of Edam/Volendam can sign up to play games, sport and learn new skills at the largest esports centre in Europe in Purmerend: H20 Esports Campus. Every Friday and Saturday the H20 esports bus will pick up kids from Edam and Volendam and bring them home again. This is made possible by the Municipality of Edam-Volendam through the LEF programme. There are two pick-up points: Volendam's swimming pool, the Waterdam, and Edam's bus station.

The esports bus is currently being printed and will make its first ride on Friday at 6am. Initially, the focus will be on young people between the ages of 14 and 17. This will be extended later on. Of course, strict attention will be paid to the corona measures on the bus, the driver will wear a mouth mask and we expect the passengers to wear these as well.

Times and exact boarding points can be found at www.h20.gg/fun. Signing up in advance is a requirement. Apart from the bus, children are always welcome to come to H20 Esports in Purmerend. The centre is open from Wednesday to Friday from 16:00 to 22:00 and on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 22:00.

Young people from the municipality of Edam-Volendam can take a game bus to the Rabo Esports Stadium in Purmerend this winter

The municipality of Edam-Volendam has entered into a partnership with the H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend. Young people can take a game bus to the campus every weekend to take part in the Weekend Fun Nights, which is part of the municipality's LEF programme.

The LEF programme aims to reduce substance use in the municipality among young people up to 18 years of age. According to the municipality, gaming and esports activities are very well suited to the 14-18 year-old target group, which is the core target group of LEF. Initially, the city will give five hundred young people a try-out ticket that will give them the opportunity to play for three hours in the Omen Gaming Club in the Rabo Esports Stadium. On Fridays and Saturdays, a gaming bus will drive back and forth from the city to the campus several times a day.

Perfect partner

The spokesperson for the municipality of Edam-Volendam sees H20 as the perfect partner. "LEF seeks to collaborate with many initiatives in the municipality. Everything is aimed at offering our young people up to the age of 18 an alternative to parties at home and the use of alcohol and drugs on Friday and Saturday evenings. H20 is such an alternative and a great initiative. It really has everything! That is why we are very happy to work together and even arrange a shuttle bus to give children from the community the chance to get to know everything that is possible here. Soon the 'bus stops' will be announced where you can get on. This is paradise on earth for many young people up to the age of 18!

For the whole family

For families with children aged 11 to 15, there is also the Esports Experience Tour. The tour aims to create more understanding among parents for their gaming children. The tour also gives children perspective on their future and the role of gaming and tech in it.

Two joint events have also been planned on the Rabo Esports Stadium mainstage, where young people from the municipality of Edam-Volendam can enjoy the coolest games played by examples from the gaming, esports and sports world.

The game bus is made possible by LEF, Rabobank, De Warmtesteen Edelstenen, Airco en Elektra, Hein Koning, Provide, Be-Active, among others.

Prince Constantijn of Orange and Anneke van Zanen make appearance at opening Rabo Esports Stadium

Tomorrow the doors of the H20 Esports Campus and Rabo Esports Stadium will officially open. With this, game lovers can meet each other in the largest and only permanent esports stadium of the Netherlands. Anneke van Zanen, chairman of NOC*NSF, together with author and former esports player Koen Schobbers, will officially open the stadium. As icing on the cake, Prince Constantijn of Orange will make his appearance in an online broadcast from the Inside Esports Studio.

Event in corona times

Despite the Corona conditions, a striking and unique opening programme was creatively put together, with an online and offline event. Organising an event during the current global pandemic requires creative thinking, as experienced by General Manager at H20 Sjaak Kuil. "With a maximum of 30 participants in a room, it was quite a puzzle how to organise the opening. We divided the day up into time slots and each time slot has 30 visitors. They will be treated to an attractive programme on our main stage in the Rabo Esports Stadium."

Laying the foundation stone in Minecraft

In each time slot we have planned a special highlight. For example, the entire H20 building, covering 10,000 m2, has been reconstructed in Minecraft. The last bricks are symbolically laid by the children of the founders of H20. This moment concludes the long preparations for this unique project. Kuil: 'We are extremely proud that we can bring gamers together and help the next generation with their development through gaming, esports and creative tech. The help we get from our main sponsor Rabobank and all our partners has helped us tremendously.

Live Gaming

Apart from the opening ceremony, there will be show matches in the stadium. By, among others, the number two Fornite player in the Netherlands: Milan. And also Dutch champion Zwift (ecycling) Mick Kemper will cycle a live race. Moreover, a Virtual Reality stand is unveiled where visitors of the H20 Esports Campus can play games with VR glasses.

Online broadcast at 20.00

Sjaak Kuil believes that the launch event should take place both physically and digitally. "It is a hybrid event, so various items and highlights will be recorded live. At 20.00 hours there will be an online broadcast on Twitch from the Inside Esports Studio and Prince Constantijn will join us."

The broadcast can be seen at https://www.twitch.tv/H20_esports. From Saturday it can be watched again on the website of H20."

Talent Academy Group and H20 Esports Campus launch talent development programme for esports players

Market leader in performance coaching in elite sports, the Talent Academy Group (TAG), is partnering with H20 Esports Campus. This will allow them to help talent in gaming and esports develop to their full potential. Together with other partners, an international talent development program will be set up. Later this year, the first track will start with the first group of talented gamers, who can register as of now via this link can sign up. Talents who want to get the best out of themselves will - after a selection procedure - be intensively coached to achieve top performances.

TAG market leader in performance coaching

The Talent Academy Group consists of various companies with one goal: to coach people to perform at their best. Founder and co-owner Marco Hoogerland: "We have been doing this for more than 20 years, and TAG is the market leader in the world of top sport. Footballers from Ajax, PSV and the Dutch team, for example, use TAG's expertise, as do top hockey players and the Dutch handball team, which won the world championship last year. The step to esports is actually logical, because apart from top-class sports we are also active in the entertainment world. Various Youtubers, influencers and artists are coached by us."

*Eigenaren Joost Leenders (links) en Marco Hoogerland (rechts) op het podium van Rabo Esports Stadium*

Esports is top-class sport

Dirk Tuip, founder H20 Esports Campus: "From the very beginning of our plans about 5 years ago, we kept in mind that we see esports as a top-class sport. We believe that if you really want to compete at the top, you need to go through a total development in various areas. Esports can learn a lot from the way this is organised in top sport. From this approach we want to bring esports in The Netherlands to a higher level. The Talent Academy Group fits in perfectly."

Talent Development Programme

We are currently working on a first batch of talents that we will support. These talents will be challenged in a 6-month programme through various sessions to develop themselves optimally. For this purpose TAG will structurally get an office space within the H20 Esports Campus. Talented gamers in all games can now apply for this programme.

*Dirk Tuip (centre) with Marco (left) and Joost (right)*

You have talent. You have to earn success.

Marco Hoogerland: "TAG creates the conditions for success. Because everyone has the right to develop their unique talent. That's not a soft message, it's hard work. Together we take up the challenge. Entrepreneurs and teams, athletes, artists and now also esports enthusiasts who want to conquer the world. We recognise that ambition, so our involvement is boundless. This is based on the vision that everything must be right: physically, mentally and socially. You can train that. That is what TAG calls performance coaching."

Mediacollege Amsterdam launches esports education lab at H20 Esports Campus

Mediacollege Amsterdam and H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend will start an esports education lab in September 2020. Students, teachers and the field will develop an esports education program. The students will play a role in the production, broadcasting and livestreaming of esports and gaming events with everything that comes with it, including construction and dismantling, production, content creation and camera work.

E-sports and media
Esports and gaming are the fastest growing parts of the global entertainment industry. The professions of the future are emerging within esports, with common ground across the media industry. Think of director, video editor, GFX designer, broadcast producer, camera operator, floor manager, event manager and in-game cameraman (a new game-related discipline). The H20 Esports Campus brings these disciplines together in an ecosystem, both from education, start-ups and esports, and gaming and creative tech (related) companies. From the vision that gamers, esports players and influencers are the developers of the future, the campus functions as a booster for the further development of esports and the media industry in The Netherlands.

Hybrid training

Within the Mediacollege Amsterdam, there is a large group of students from various programmes who are interested in this world that is yet to be discovered and developed. Martijn Groep, member of the Executive Board: "Developments are rapid and the boundaries of media professions are fading.

If we want to link up with these developments, cooperation with the professional field is a requirement. That is why we are starting a so-called 'hybrid excellence trajectory' at H20. This learning environment will take the form of a lab, with space for research and experiments in the field of esports and gaming. It will also be a place for learning in co-creation with the start-ups within H20. In this way, our students will be introduced to multiple facets of the industry and receive a broad and flexible education."

New jobs created by gaming and esports

Joost Roset, on behalf of H20 responsible for esports productions and broadcasting, is also happy with the cooperation: "On the H20 Esports Campus there are many opportunities: students can develop themselves in new disciplines that have common ground with the existing courses within the Mediacollege Amsterdam and within their own field of interest. Because they are often fanatical gamers themselves, we expect great interest. We are therefore looking forward to the start in September."

About H20 Esports Campus:

H20 will be a platform for Developing the Next Generation through gaming, esports and creative tech. Esports is a strong growth market with which youth and young adults feel strongly connected. The H20 Campus brings worlds together and explicitly connects with personal development, competition and education. Gamers, esporters and influencers are the developers of the future. H20 is fast becoming the largest esports & gaming centre in Europe.

About Mediacollege Amsterdam:

The Mediacollege Amsterdam (Ma) is a professional school for media studies. For over 100 years, Ma has been training students for a career in the media and other creative sectors. These include design, theatre technology, games, image and sound, and programming. For students who want to broaden or deepen their knowledge, Ma offers excellence programmes such as projects and talent programmes. In short: education with added value. The esports education lab at H20 is a good example of this.

OMEN Gaming Club in the H20 Rabo Esports Stadium in Purmerend opens every day from 2 October

Until now, it was mainly group activities that could be booked in the Rabo Esports Stadium, part of the H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend. But the largest esports centre in the Netherlands opens every weekend in September. This weekend, for the first time, you can come and play, race and chill in the new Omen Gaming Club. And you can watch the semi-finals and finals of League of Legends on a mega LED screen. From 2 October, the Omen Gaming Club will even be open every day.

"After months of delay due to construction challenges and Corona, it is finally here," says manager Sjaak Kuil. "During the summer we started the group activities. Now it's time for the next step. The OMEN Gaming Club will be set up within the Rabo Esports Stadium just like a sports club or fitness club. So there will always be supervision present and you can become a member. A Valhalla for interested people of all ages. Members can participate in a variety of activities such as coaching sessions, training sessions, online and offline tournaments, events and more. And it will also be a friendly club where young people can socialise with each other."

Gaming with high-end equipment.

Everyone can game on the latest high-end desktop PCs, Playstations and racing simulators! This is made possible by our partners OMEN, ACER, Game Seat and PlayStation. We focus mainly on competitive gaming titles such as League of Legends, CS:GO, Rocket League, Fall Guys, Fortnite, PUBG. But Brawl Stars, Roblox, Minecraft and many other games are of course also available. During the months of September and October we have an opening promotion where you can play 3 hours of games for only 4 euros. Check www.h20.gg for more information. Don't miss out on this opportunity, will you?

Responsible gaming and talent training
The club is for young and old. Of course we keep it responsible and that is why you can play a maximum of 3 hours a day. Sjaak: "There are still few places where parents and children can go when it comes to gaming. We want to be a place where counsellors can point out the rules of conduct to young people. We use a lot of knowledge and experience from sports, so regular exercise and good nutrition are very important to us. More is not always better. Also, really great talents can get extra support in a special Talent Development Programme that is currently being developed."

Opening hours
In September 2020, the Omen Gaming Club will officially open every weekend with the following opening hours:

Saturdays from 14:00 - 21:00
Sundays from 14:00 - 21:00

From Friday 2 October, the Omen Gaming Club will be open 7 days a week with the following opening hours (start 2 October)

Monday 16:00 - 22:00
Tuesday 16:00 - 22:00
Wednesday 16:00 - 22:00
Thursday 16:00 - 22:00
Friday 16:00 - 24:00
Saturday 12:00 - 24:00
Sunday 12:00 - 22:00

Sjaak concludes: "I would say join the Omen Gaming Club now, part of the H20 Esports Campus, the largest Esports Gaming centre in Western Europe! We hope to welcome many young people to the Rabo Esports Stadium soon!"

Movamento Fysiotherapie opens new office at H20 Esports Campus Amsterdam

Movement specialist Movamento, with several physio practices throughout the Netherlands, starts a new branch at the H20 Esports Campus in the Amsterdam area. The sixth office of owner Jelle Heisen will focus on the guidance of gamers and esporters. With this step the ambitions of H20 Esports are underlined to facilitate talents of a future in a responsible and safe way.

Jelle Heisen
Dirk Tuip, founder of H20: "I've known Jelle for a long time, both from my time as an active top athlete and from the last two years when we worked together in the Expert team around the handball ladies. Here I have been involved as coordinator of the national team. Jelle is the regular physiotherapist of the ladies who became world champions last December. Our vision on top sports is similar, and we want to use this vision within esports.

Jelle Heisen, owner of Movamento: "H20 has a great ambition and that appeals to me. I can't wait to use the insights and knowledge I gained in my life at Ajax, the Dutch Handball Federation and within our physiotherapy. We have had some pretty big challenges with COVID in recent months, but we do see this as an opportunity to use our experience in this new industry."

Vision Movamento on ergonomics within gaming
Heisen continues: "As physiotherapists, we see the impact it has if there is a hitch somewhere in a movement. The goal of3rbeteren. The optimal performance for each individual at each level is the starting point to work with! We see that more and more people are sitting down a lot for their work. In gaming and esports this is of course a topic and we want to do something about this preventatively and in case of injuries."

Using knowledge of esports and Virtual Reality in healthcare
There is still a lot of undeveloped territory in the field of gaming and esports and we are very motivated to tackle this within the H20 Esports Campus. Our knowledge to prepare the body optimally, in combination with good ergonomics, can make the difference in top esports. We will also use the knowledge and experiences from esports in healthcare. Developments such as Virtual Reality and the use of data will be used to innovate healthcare.

DIMITRI VEGAS, LIKE MIKE AND OUR PARTNER MIRANDA HUYBERS START UP NEW GAMING, MUSIC AND LIFESTYLE AGENCY.

World number 1 DJs and producers Dimitri Thivaios and Michael Thivaios, better known as Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, have joined forces with Miranda Huybers. Miranda has over 14 years of experience in the Game industry. She was part of the Call of Duty team at Activision and Marketing & PR Manager at Nvidia Benelux. Together they form a new agency called 'The Smash Universe', which focuses on the synergy between music and gaming. In the coming period various activities will also be developed within the H20 Esports Campus Amsterdam. Keep an eye on the website and our social media channels of H20 and The Smash Universe.

The Smash Universe will focus on providing management services for content creators, gamers and lifestyle influencers. The focus will also be on the creative development of events and marketing concepts both online and offline. The agency is at the forefront of gaming, tech, lifestyle and music on a professional level.

Nick Depauw, co-founder SMASH esports (professional e-sports league), is a partner of The Smash Universe. This partnership allows Nick and his team of gamers to participate in a wide range of activities. Other professionals joining this new venture are Nick Royaard (manager of Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike & Lost Frequencies), as well as Perry van de Mosselaar and Dwayne Megens. They are part of Smash The House Records, an independent record label that releases music by top dance artists. The Smash Universe is supported by Smash The House Records' years of experience in the music industry.

Besides management services, the company plans to be a resilient partner with their marketing and PR activities for global brands. They want to achieve this by offering different packages for offline and online exposure.

Dimitri Thivaios (Dimitri Vegas): "I'm super excited about this new project, which connects music and gaming. Both worlds are very important to me!".

Miranda Huybers: "Creating a new universe that combines the worlds of gaming and music has been a dream of mine for years. Therefore I am very excited to work with this great team and introduce everyone to The Smash Universe. The focus is on online content and unique concepts in which we are part of the entire customer journey and always ready for everyone."

In the coming period various activities will be developed within the H20 Esports Campus Amsterdam. Keep an eye on the website and our social media channels.

Twitch channel The Smash Universe: https://www.twitch.tv/thesmashuniverse/videos

Stanno dives into esports via H20 Esports Campus

H20 Esports Campus has entered into a multi-year partnership with Stanno. Stanno is part of the Deventrade Group and a leader in teamwear, with a focus on the sporting Netherlands. With the partnership with H20, Stanno wants to get a footprint in esports. Together, a clothing line will be developed for H20 staff and Stanno will also provide H20 with a jersey for gamers/athletes and merchandising products.

Sport is our passion
Based on the two core values 'Product is king' and 'Sport is our passion', Stanno is a distinctive player on the international market. Marthijn Pothoven of Stanno: "In sports, everything revolves around the decisive moment. For that moment, Stanno develops essential products. We've been doing this for years within the sports world and we also see esports as a sport. This growth market has had our attention for some time now and we are happy to be visible through the largest location in the Netherlands. Esports in the Netherlands needs to continue to develop and both H20 and Stanno believe that our experience in sports can help with this."

H20 clothing, jerseys and merchandising
Matthijs Vink of H20: "I know Stanno from my time in the sports world and I know how they can give long-term substance to a partnership. They understand the sports world and listen very well to the athletes, which was a decisive factor for us. Within esports and gaming it is even more important to have a continuous dialogue with the target group. The partnership provides both clothing for the H20 team and a shirt for talented gamers who are active in the H20 Esports Gaming Club. In addition, there will also be H20 merchandising available to fans and spectators. We hope to present these to the world soon!