Each membership option is geared towards a different type of esports professional. Here is a quick summary for why you should consider each tier:

Trial Membership: This tier is for brand new teachers and coaches to begin learning how to put together and run an esports program. This tier is also good for introducing teachers/staff to esports.

Basic Membership: This tier is for any esports professional who does NOT plan on attending the National Convention, but wants to be connected in the industry, earn professional development online, and support the association.

All-Access Membership: This tier is for any esports professional who wants the value of a NAECAD membership and also plans on attending the National Convention. 

Program Membership: This Tier is specifically for high schools and colleges that have up to 3 staff members in their program. This tier allows everyone to have an All-Access Membership at almost 50% off.

Organization Membership: This tier is for any school district, college, conference, or  league that has more than 3 staff members who need professional development. This tier allows you to purchase an All-Access pass at 50% off for as many staff members as you have. 

Learning levels are used to categorize our courses by difficulty.

Level 0 courses are free-to-the-public courses that provide general information about the esports industry.

Level 1 courses are designed for coaches and staff who are looking to begin learning about various topics in esports.

Level 2 courses are designed for coaches and staff who already have some experience but are looking to grow or expand their program into new areas.

NAECAD hosts various in-person events every year that allow for live professional development and networking.

Event tickets without a membership typically cost $150 to $300 per event.

If you plan on attending at least one event a year, you should consider the All-Access pass as you will receive free event tickets to every event we host.

If you do not plan on attending any events, a basic membership will be the best value for you.

The NAECAD Mentor Program is a brand new program that we have developed. We have found that mentorship and connecting with peers are the number one ways to prevent burnout, overwork, and decline in mental health. Our vision is to ensure that every esports coach, director, and staff member has a support network they can lean on. 

For the 2025-26 year, we are piloting the program with a cohort of 10 college coaches (appliations are closed for 2025-26). We plan to launch the mentor program on a larger scale in the Fall of 2026.

 You must be at least a Basic Member to enroll in the Mentor Program.

Our Discord offers a variety of benefits, including:

• Connecting with other members
• Event and membership updates

We are always working on adding new and exciting events to our Discord. If you have additional ideas, please let us know!

Every year NAECAD offers awards for:

• High School Coach of the Year
• High School Director of the Year
• College Coach of the Year
• College Director of the Year
• Rising Star
• Outstanding Leadership
• Outstanding Commitment

Group memberships are designed for schools, programs, and organizations that have multiple staff members. The person in charge of your program is then able to manage from their membership profile who to assign the extra accounts to, as well as check up on them to make sure they are taking their courses and registering for events.