CASE STUDY: Sheffield Wednesday Esports Suite
By Kim Bailey
2024-06-18
Developing the UK’s first pitch-facing Esports Suite with Sheffield Wednesday
In this case study, we look at how VeryPC helped local Championship football club, Sheffield Wednesday, create the UK’s first pitch-facing esports suite, allowing them to build a sustainable infrastructure for the growth of esports in the local community.
Customer Profile
Sheffield Wednesday FC is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system.
In September 2022, Rob Hawden was appointed as the clubs first ever Head of Esports, to champion the club’s long-term vision of growing esports and the club’s community programme, Owl’s Interactive, both organically and through high profile gaming competitions.
The Pains
When Rob was appointed as SWFC’s Head of Esports in 2022, his mission was to grow the club’s esports presence by launching a brand state-of-the-art esports suite. Here were some of the main challenges he faced:
- Limited budget - required 18 x high quality entry-level gaming pc’s but at an affordable price.
- Up against a strict deadline for completion & needed quick delivery and installation.
- Required a reliable brand, account manager and team to build a lasting relationship with the club.
- Wanted a supplier that could be available to provide comprehensive tech support, as and when required
The support VeryPC have given the club in the provision of IT hardware saved us almost £20,000 compared to other manufacturers offerings.
Rob Hawden, Head of Esports, SWFC
The Challenge
One of Rob’s main challenges was finding a reliable manufacturer to help kit out his new esports suite with 18 gaming pc’s that, most importantly, meet all of his technical specifications, but are also affordable and don’t compromise on performance.
Finding a manufacturer who could be on hand to provide the best support and customer service was also vital.
The Solution
After looking at other esports hardware options on the market, Rob and the team decided to go with VeryPC’s ARENA esports machines, choosing 18 x ARENA Player One - entry level esports/gaming PCs.
Featuring the latest hardware, compact size, superb customisation options, and industry-leading VeryPC warranty, ARENA Player One was an obvious choice.
With quality components from trusted suppliers and partners, Rob was able to choose from various mid to high-end processors, memory options, and graphics cards to give his gaming PCs a competitive edge without breaking his budget.
Working with a local, trusted IT manufacturer provided Rob with the reassurance he needed to ensure the club will always provided with expert gaming advice and quality technical support.
At VeryPC, we’ve been manufacturing and customising systems for over 19 years. We’re not just building for gamers; we are gamers, technical specialists and passionate about the details. We know the best hardware blend to deliver esports performance excellence and back our high-quality build with exceptional UK-based customer support. All our ARENA systems are built with care and made in Sheffield.
Andy Hopton, Director, VeryPC
Results & Wins
- A saving of £20,000 on IT hardware without compromising on performance.
- Successful launch of the UK’s first pitch-facing esports suite.
- Has enabled the club to engage, serve and have positive impact within the local community.
- Able to host multiple matchday gaming events & holiday camps.
- On track to launch brand-new BTEC esports course, using the esports suite.
Since launching our suite, primarily to develop the Owls Esports Team, we’ve hosted a number of matchday events and most recently held our first holiday camp in partnership with Zest during Easter. We are now on track to launch the Pearson Esports BTEC course and use the space to deliver curriculum, enable learning and provide employable skills to our cohort within our local community.”
Rob Hawden, Head of Esports, SWFC
