Competition Information

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New York State High School & Middle School Esports

Dear New York State Esports Community,

Welcome back to a new school year and another exciting season of competition! Whether you are a returning veteran coach who has been following our summer updates, or a brand-new advisor opening your very first ESSEF email, we are thrilled to have you with us.

How do I set up my school to compete?

The initial setup process requires actions on two platforms: ESSEF.org (official league registration) and FusionPortal (match management platform).

  • Complete ESSEF Registration: Submit your school’s registration through our website. Once approved, we will email you our League Code.
  • Get Set Up at FusionPortal:
    • Create a School Account
    • Enter Your League Code (if you do not receive it, please contact [email protected]).
    • Add Players
    • Assign Players to Team Rosters
    • Enroll Your Rosters in the Season (make sure this is complete before the enrollment deadline).

Resources:

If you have any questions – please do not hesitate to post on the ESSEF Coach’s Discord or reach out to [email protected].

What are the league fees for competition through ESSEF?

We are proud to announce there will be no participation fees for the 2026–2027 school year.

Does competition through ESSEF comply with NYS Education Law § 2-d?

Yes. Our registration and league systems do not collect, store, or process any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from students. Because no student data is retained, student privacy is protected by design.

For districts requesting a formal Data Privacy Agreement (DPA), a standardized DPA is currently being expedited through BOCES and will be made available to schools as soon as possible. In the meantime, if your district’s Data Protection Officer has additional questions or needs assistance, please contact ESSEF directly.

What is FusionPortal?

FusionPortal is a new platform from HorizonAVL / Esports Integration that ESSEF will be using for matches.

Through the platform, coaches will be able to register for games to compete in, set up and manage their rosters, see their competition schedule, and manage their matches.

What titles are being offered?

High School

  • Smash Solos
  • Smash Crew Battle
  • Rocket League 3v3
  • Marvel Rivals
  • Mario Kart
  • Splatoon
  • Valorant (Spring only)

Middle School

  • Mario Kart
  • Smash Crew Battle
When and where will the state championship be held?
The Fall 2026 State Championship will take place at Syracuse University on December 12. Specific venue details, schedules, and spectator information will be released as the season progresses.

Fall 2026 Dates

  • Enrollment Opens – 8/31
  • Preseason Enrollment Closes – 9/13
  • Regular Season Enrollment Closes – Extended to 8:00 PM on 9/23
  • Preseason – Weeks of 9/14 and 9/21
  • Regular Season – Weeks of 9/28 – 11/16
  • Playoffs – Week of 11/30
  • In-Personal Championships – 12/12

 

 

High School Schedule

  • SimRacing – Mondays at 3:30
  • Marvel Rivals – Tuesdays at 4
  • Splatoon – Tuesdays at 4
  • Smash Solos – Wednesdays at 3
  • Smash Crew – Wednesdays at 4
  • Rocket League – Thursdays at 3
  • Mario Kart – Thursdays at 4
 

Middle School Schedule

  • Mario Kart – Tuesdays at 3
  • Smash Crew – Thursdays at 3

Official Policies

Game Rulesets

 

Tutorials

 

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