The resume of Boise State’s nine-year-old esports program simply speaks for itself.
15 conference championships, seven national titles, over 1,500 wins, all captured since the program was founded in 2017 by head coach Doc Haskell. Competing across five different titles, the program has established itself as one of the most successful esports programs in the country since its launch.
Now, through the newly announced Champions Club initiative, fans can directly invest in Boise State Esports and contribute to the growth and expansion of the program, all while securing perks and benefits of their own.
The club offers fans and alumni a unique way to support and engage with the team. Through annual philanthropic contributions, donors receive benefits associated with their membership level, which is determined by the amount of their annual contribution. According to the athletic department, the contributions will “support team travel, championship competition, and long-term program growth while creating expanded opportunities for current and future student-athletes.”
The Champions Club represents the first initiative of its kind in college esports. With fan support as a long-standing cornerstone across all Boise State sports, the club now allows supporters to directly impact the program while gaining access to unique experiences and special rewards.
“Champions Club is elite, the first in collegiate esports. But what else do you expect from bar-raisers?” head coach Doc Haskell said. “Fans have always been the difference and now they can help bring even more champions and championships to Boise State. I’m fired up.”
Membership of the Champions Club starts at $25 annually. This entry-level membership, known as the Blue level, includes exclusive Boise State merchandise, a subscription to an esports newsletter and access to unique social events. A $100 contribution, known as the Orange level, or the “Engaged Supporter” level, comes with a player video message and a Boise State esports merchandise pack featuring rare, limited-edition items and collectibles.
The next tier, known as the White, “Committed Supporter” level, requires a $250 annual contribution. This is where the perks begin to stand out. Committed supporters receive access to an exclusive team meet-and-greet, along with a significant discount on rentals of Boise State’s esports facility, which the program offers to anyone looking to experience video games in a state-of-the-art facility.
The $500 Leadership level, which gives members access to the esports “Leadership Circle,” includes pre-game access to the stage that the team plays on, essentially, an on-field pass.
The highest tier, the Elite membership level, requires a $1,000 contribution and brings the most eye-opening perks: A reserved seat at every Boise State Esports home match, along with a cutout of themselves for matches they can’t attend, similar to what Major League Baseball did during the shortened 2020 season when fans couldn’t be at games in person.
The new initiative further establishes the Boise State esports program’s reputation as not only one of the most successful in the country, but one of the most innovative.
“Once again, Boise State Esports is competing and winning on a national stage,” Boise State athletic director Jermiah Dickey said. “The Champions Club allows Bronco Nation to directly impact that success by expanding access, enhancing their experience, and positioning the program to continue leading the way in collegiate esports.”
Over the last near-decade, leading the way is exactly what Boise State has done.
As esports has evolved over recent years into becoming nationally recognized across many schools in the U.S., the Broncos have been at the forefront. Boise State was among the first universities to embrace competitive gaming and establish a Division I esports program.
They’ve also dominated the playing field, winning seven national championships, with their most recent coming on April 12 when they won their first Valorant national championship in program history at the Power Esports Championship in Las Vegas.
Competing and training in a 7,000 square-foot facility in downtown Boise, the Broncos compete across five titles, including Overwatch 2, Valorant, College Football 26, Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. The facility features a competition arena, training space, and a high-performance broadcast studio from which the program’s media team produces over 30 hours a week of content.
Riley Boyd, the business development coordinator for the program, holds high praise for the Boise State athletic department and the opportunities they’ve been able to provide for a successful and established, yet still growing, esports program.
“We have some really good support systems here now,” Boyd said. “Our athletic department is phenomenal at making sure that we feel like we’ve got what we need.”
“People like Cody Gougler, who have helped us be able to work with clients to give them really cool experiences. People like the business office, who are making sure that our business ops are streamlined. People like Anthony Travel, who are helping us do really cool things [and] making sure our players are getting where they need to be. All those different things have made our lives a lot easier.”
