Ahead of the fall 2020 season, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) launched its first varsity esports team, introducing 22 students to compete for the university in video gaming matches, including tournaments hosted by the National Association of Collegiate E-Sports (NACE). ETSU's inaugural gamers were split into two teams that compete against other universities in Overwatch and League of Legends. In January 2021, ETSU announced plans to add a third Rocket League esports team.
Back when the esports initiative was being developed, ETSU became interested in procuring a display solution to show live gaming tournaments on campus. At that time, the D.P. Culp Student Center was undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation. The bottom floor of the building—known as the Cave—had been a popular social area with students for decades. It offered the perfect environment for a video wall installation.
ETSU visited Planar's Atlanta Showroom to view LED video wall products, which ultimately led to the decision to install a nearly 30-foot wide, 12-foot-high Planar® TVF Series LED video wall with a 1.8mm pixel pitch (TVF1.8). The Planar TVF Series LED video wall provides the optimal pixel pitch, maximizing visibility throughout the entire space, according to King.