By Alex Kartman
Ball State Sports Link
The excitement and adrenaline of racing comes to the campus of Ball State University. On Thursday, October 21, the Force Dynamics Dallara iRacing Grand Prix Championship will broadcast live from the newly opened Ball State Esports Center.
iRacing’s Senior Broadcast Producer/Director, Drew Adamson, will oversee the production alongside students. “The opportunity to continue to push technology and innovation at Ball State excites me as an alumnus. The quality of students has immensely increased since I was a graduate in 2015.”
Students have the opportunity to grow and learn while working alongside a professional esports broadcaster. From virtual camera operators to graphics and audio, students play a crucial role in the production of this event.
“As a staff member of iRacing, it’s amazing to see how both technology and accessibility to our platform and esports has grown immensely. The new esports facility at Ball State allows for more opportunities to not only further the growth of iRacing, but develop the next generation of esports production professionals.”
Drew Adamson
Adamson, a 2015 Department of Media and Sports Link graduate, has overseen the launch of iRacing into the mainstream, leading productions of NASCAR, IndyCar and IMSA on network television. He also advised and helped develop esports in the College of Communication, Information, and Media.
“Dean Turner, [Director of Esports] Dan Marino and [Director of Sports Production] Alex Kartman have continued the tradition of Ball State University’s innovation to put the school ahead of the curve in the esports industry,” Adamson states.
Round 6 of the Force Dynamics Dallara iRacing Grand Prix Championship features 26 professional esports drivers at the virtual Hockenheimring. The championship culminates with a $25,000 prize pool.
Viewers can tune into all the coverage live on iRacing’s Youtube and Twitch pages at 3pm EST on Thursday, October 21.
About iRacing: iRacing is the World’s Premier Motorsport Racing Simulation. iRacing puts you in the driver’s seat by allowing members to experience today’s newest form of competitive motorsport: virtual racing. iRacing is a fun, inexpensive and highly-competitive way for race fans and gamers to break a sweat by braking hard at the apex, while overcoming head-to-head racing challenges usually reserved for professional racers.
About the Force Dynamics Dallara iRacing Grand Prix Championship: The Force Dynamics Dallara iRacing Grand Prix Championship hosts three months of wheel-to-wheel action. Utilizing the Dallara iR-01, a bespoke grand prix-style car designed and built by Dallara and iRacing, the series will visit 10 of the world’s premier road racing facilities, from active European Grand Prix venues like Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone Circuit to premier North American circuits like Road America and Road Atlanta.
About Esports Center: In April 2021, Ball State University cut the ribbon on a brand new Esports Center on campus. The 3,611 square-foot Esports Center will house the Ball State varsity esports program as well as an innovative learning environment for cross-curriculum instruction. The space features a 6-vs-6 arena with seating for 50 spectators, an interactive classroom with 24 PCs, and two iRacing Simulators. Alienware PCs power the 12 competition and 24 classroom seats.
