Horizon AVL / Esports Integration Wins Best eSports Project for UNF Flight Deck Esports Arena

Horizon AVL / Esports Integration has won the 2026 Integration Award for Best eSports Project for the University of North Florida (UNF) Flight Deck Esports Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.

The project converted about 3,000 square feet of storage space, adjacent offices and an aging auditorium into a fully integrated esports and broadcast production complex. A true end-to-end SMPTE ST 2110 broadcast network sits at the center of the facility. It lets one production control room support events across campus.

The UNF Flight Deck now hosts varsity and club competition, classroom instruction, content creation, live broadcasts, recruiting events and community programs, and has also drawn national attention.

UNF Flight Deck: More Than Another Gaming Arena

According to the integrator, UNF wanted more than another gaming arena. Tom Screech, director of esports at UNF, approached Horizon AVL and Esports Integration with a broader vision.

The goal was not simply to build a room filled with gaming computers, but to create a future-ready facility that could grow with the university and support a wide range of educational, competitive, and community initiatives.

A Five-Year Roadmap

Courtesy: Horizon AVL / Esports Integration

Horizon AVL and Esports Integration worked closely with UNF leadership to convert approximately 3,000 square feet of storage space, adjacent offices and an aging auditorium into a fully integrated esports and broadcast production complex.

According to Horizon AVL and Esports Integration, the team thus built the project in two major phases.

Phase One: A Professional Esports Facility

Phase One delivered a professional esports facility with:

• More than 45 high-performance gaming stations
• Dedicated console gaming areas
• A competition stage
• A professional shoutcasting booth
• Collaborative student spaces
• A dedicated production control room

Phase Two: A Premier Competition Venue

Phase Two turned the adjacent auditorium into a premier competition and event venue. Upgrades include:

• A 60-foot stage
• A floor-to-ceiling direct-view LED display
• Enhanced audio systems
• Theatrical lighting
• Technical infrastructure for major collegiate tournaments

Together, the two phases created a unified environment now known as the UNF Flight Deck Esports Arena. The auditorium now hosts conferences, commencement activities, presentations and other university events in addition to esports.

Professional Broadcast Infrastructure Powers the Facility

According to the integrator, the professional broadcast infrastructure powers the entire facility and sets the Flight Deck apart. It connects every space and gives students the same tools used in professional production.

The dedicated production control room can manage more than 45 simultaneous audio and video sources originating from the esports arena, auditorium and other connected locations.

The production environment also includes professional graphics and character generation, instant replay, digital audio production, Dante-based communications, enterprise-level routing, monitoring, and centralized system control.

According to the integrator, these capabilities allow students and staff to produce broadcast-quality esports competitions and live events using workflows that closely mirror those found in professional environments.

End-to-End SMPTE ST 2110 Network

The UNF Flight Deck runs on a true end-to-end SMPTE ST 2110 broadcast network. SMPTE ST 2110 is a suite of standards that carries video, audio and metadata as separate streams over an IP network.

This fully IP-based architecture transports high-quality video, audio, metadata, and communications across the production ecosystem. The system provides flexibility and scalability while reducing reliance on traditional point-to-point signal paths.

As needs change, the university can also add sources, destinations, venues and workflows without replacing its core infrastructure.

Campus-Wide Production Capability

Courtesy: Horizon AVL / Esports Integration

Horizon AVL engineered the network for campus-wide production capability. It carries broadcast-quality video, audio and communications from multiple campus locations back to the central control room.

Esports competitions and university events can originate from the Flight Deck, the auditorium, Student Union ballrooms or other connected venues. Each one taps the same professional production resources.

That approach removes the need to duplicate expensive production equipment in every event space. It also gives UNF far more flexibility in how and where it stages events.

What Challenges did Horizon AVL / Esports Integration Face at UNF Flight Deck?

The UNF Flight Deck project’s challenges called for creative solutions, says Horizon AVL and Esports Integration.

The main challenge was supporting high-level competitive gaming while also serving academic programs, content creation, live production, conferences, recruitment and emerging technologies.

The system also had to handle esports competitions and live events across campus, especially in the Student Union ballrooms. Those events required broadcast-quality production, centralized operation and reliable transport of many audio, video and communication signals.

Finally, the infrastructure needed to scale as UNF’s esports, academic and production programs expand.

Creating A Unified Broadcast Ecosystem

Horizon AVL addressed these needs with a centralized SMPTE ST 2110 architecture. Instead of separate production systems in each space, UNF now runs a unified broadcast ecosystem from a single production environment.

The university can support tournaments, conferences, commencement activities and presentations with shared personnel, equipment and workflows. Students also gain hands-on experience with the technology and practices used across the broadcast and AV industries.

Horizon AVL, Esports Integration, the University of North Florida and the City of Jacksonville collaborated throughout planning, design and development. Their shared goal was a facility that serves both the university and the surrounding region.

The Flight Deck has since become a hub for collegiate esports, academic programming, workforce development and community engagement.

Its national impact was further demonstrated when the National Association of Collegiate Esports selected UNF to host its annual conference, welcoming representatives from more than 300 colleges and universities to experience the facility firsthand.

Exceeding Expectations

Screech proclaims that the project met UNF’s needs and exceeded its expectations.

“When we began envisioning the future of esports at the University of North Florida, we knew we needed a partner that understood more than technology,” Screech says. “We needed a team that understood how to build a program that would serve our students for years to come.”

He credits the integrators’ planning and execution.

“Esports Integration handled this project with originality and foresight. Everything we asked for is set up and ready to go,” Screech says. “The space is nothing short of breathtaking and perfectly serves every avenue of esports development, from team management and training to content creation, event production and much more.”

Screech also points to the flexibility of the system.

“Throughout the design and implementation process, Horizon AVL and Esports Integration continually demonstrated their commitment to our vision,” he says. “The flexibility of the technology allows us to host varsity competitions, create professional broadcasts, support academic programs and welcome major collegiate events into a facility that will continue to grow with our university.”

Screech concludes that the Flight Deck Esports Arena has exceeded expectations and has become a centerpiece of student engagement and collegiate esports at UNF.