Youth Esports Franchise XP League Receives Coveted STEM Accreditation

XP League Becomes First Esports Franchise Certified as STEM.org Accredited Educational Program

DALLAS, Oct. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- XP League, the first and largest esports franchise in North America, has been awarded the STEM.org Accredited Experience Trustmark, making the brand the first and only esports franchise to be certified as a STEM.org Accredited Educational Program. This designation is a milestone for XP League, as it provides players and parents further trust and confidence about the brand's programming being superior in the industry.

Founded in 2001 by Andrew B. Raupp, STEM.org is a Detroit-based company that has been mentoring and cooperating with more than 2,000 schools and counting for over 20 years. As the longest continually-operating, privately held STEM education research and credentialing organization in America, it has been recognized by the U.S. Senate and trusted by prestigious brands including Disney, Staples, NBA, The New York Times, and Rubiks.

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Rather than teach the four disciplines as separate and discrete subjects, STEM integrates them into a cohesive learning paradigm based on real-world applications.

"We are elated and honored to be recognized as a STEM Accredited Educational Program," said Jay Melamed, XP League CEO and Brand President. "This validates the core format in our educational-based programming and our overall mission in empowering young players everywhere to build on their talents and become who they are destined to be."

Launched in 2020, XP League offers a nine-week seasonal program including one practice and one match a week. Each team is led by a coach who focuses on teaching resiliency, teamwork, and sportsmanship in addition to gaming skills to elementary, middle, and high school students. By integrating these values into the core format of its programming, kids see the positive reward as an exciting part of the overall experience. XP League is changing the game when it comes to esports and is inclusive to all players.

XP League has designed a custom coaching program and certification that interweaves skill-building and tools to coach younger esports players. The XP League coaching certification program is the only one of its kind in the gaming industry by its emphasis on positive reinforcement for school-age players. XP League's continual investment in hiring and training the best coaches in the business makes it the top choice for families and entrepreneurs when it comes to youth esports.

Since its start in 2020, XP League has grown to more than 40 franchised locations across the country and in April 2022 was acquired by Unleashed Brands, the fast-growing parent company of youth enrichment franchise brands, including Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Snapology, Premier Martial Arts and Class 101.

XP League is rapidly growing across North America and seeking passionate entrepreneurs who want to impact kids in their local communities through esports. For more information about franchising with XP League, visit franchise.xpleague.com.

XP League is the first-to-market youth esports league franchise that bridges the gap between conventional youth athletics and competitive esports. XP League provides an innovative program that fosters social skills and sportsmanship through a positive, certified coach-led structure. Launched in September 2020, XP League has quickly grown to become the first and largest esports franchise concept the U.S. and Canada. To find a league near you, visit www.xpleague.com.

Founded in 2001, STEM.org Educational Research™ (SER) is the longest continually operating, privately-held STEM education research and credentialing organization in America. Through an extensive collaborative effort, SER has worked closely with researchers, an international coalition of educators, administrators, NGO's, companies, and schools to establish a set of broadly representative STEM benchmarks. The resources and proven best-practices of this initiative have led to the world's original and most recognized, blockchain-secured and fully decentralized STEM credentialing framework: STEM.org Accredited™ for programs, STEM.org Certified™ for people, STEM.org Reviewed™ for publishers, and STEM.org Authenticated™ for products.

Unleashed Brands, currently includes portfolio brands Urban Air, Snapology, The Little Gym, XP League, Class 101 and Premier Martial Arts. and was founded to curate and grow a portfolio of the most innovative and profitable brands that help kids learn, play, and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses focused on serving families. Its mission is to impact the lives of every kid by providing fun, engaging, and inspiring experiences that help them become who they are destined to be. For more information, please visit www.UnleashedBrands.com.

Media Contact: Taylor Saltijeral, Fishman Public Relations, (847) 945-1300, [email protected]

SOURCE XP League