Last week an article appeared that the University of Akron was dropping almost 80 degree programs and would be adding “esports” to the curriculum as both a competitive endeavor and as a general student activity. That announcement was followed by the grand finale of the first NBA 2K season, and sadly, with the tragedy at a Madden event in Jacksonville, while the Asian Games took an even deeper dive down the path of making esports a more recognized discipline that could find its way to the Olympics and several European soccer clubs, most notable a few in La Liga and Juventus, took a more engaged path around FIFA. There is no doubt that for reasons, most of which are positive, the buzz around what should be called “gaming” but gets a wide misnomer as “esports,” is certainly not ceasing, and will continue to grow, and that healthy debate and greater understanding is good for everyone involved in the global business of sports.
However one element worth nothing is the rush to examine what is being called “esports” in the halls of academia and the fields of intercollegiate athletics. What is it, is it healthy, isn’t going to supplant college football (lol)? Hang on. Here are some thoughts as to how and why collegiate gaming, not just competitive esports, makes great sense.
First- It’s Already there, folks: For decades, various forms of competitive gaming as existed on college campuses. From card based gaming tournaments to Asteroids and pinball, try going to any college or university in the last 30 years that didn’t have club activities, organized clubs, competing in various forms of esports. There have been competitive intercollegiate Madden tournaments for years, while not as organized as events are today.
The difference now is that competitive esports starting at a young age has created online communities that translate literally, into communities that are recognized and adapted to on campuses as students arrive. If you play WOW or DOTA or LOL, and are going to a school as a freshman, chances are you know of the students on campus, or can find pretty easily, who those students are, so the integration into a gaming community us pretty seamless, keeping in mind even if you are ON CAMPUS, you might still never actually meet those you are competing against across campus if you don’t leave your console.
In recent years there has been a more streamlined effort by some smaller schools who have recognized that there is this gaming community on campus to better organize and support the individual gaming teams, and use that platform as a way to drive interest (and most importantly, enrollment) in the school. Chicago’s small Robert Morris University was one of the first to organize and then award some form of scholarship, and others have followed. As the word has gotten out about competitive intercollegiate activities schools have started to look around, and lo and behold, there are clubs for all kinds of games already in existence, so why not organize and figure out a way, keeping in mind most are ALREADY being subsided as a student activity, into a formal and recognized larger activity.
It’s not like you want to start football from scratch, and the baseline for many games, is already there on most campuses, now it’s a question of building consensus.
Second- The “dream” of thousands flocking to “esports arenas” for season long games, is years away, if it ever happens and should be just that, a dream. Now that doesn’t mean that colleges are not creating “esports” facilities from distressed or repurposed buildings, like unused lecture halls. These facilities are really slightly tricked out theaters with maybe a couple of hundred seats, keeping in mind that most of the spectating is going on not live in person, but in the digital space via a streaming service like Twitch. The real need for real estate will be in a field house for some mass gaming tournaments where communities can intermingle, and those, frankly are already going on. Don’t be so shocked if you look at an “esports” arena at your local college and it looks like a multiplex.
Can there be massive intercollegiate gatherings as a one off for say, a Big Ten Championship? Sure. But look at college sports as a whole. There are games and schools that draw thousands, and many, especially smaller sports, that draw very few. Keep that in mind as the college “esports” debate grows.
Third- This is about enrollment. Colleges and Universities, especially ones struggling to find a place or having trouble with endowments, are always looking to add buzzworthy “programs” to entice students on the fence. Game creation, sports management, coding, health management on and on and on are being added as majors. In some instances schools are adding additional sports, even some looking for a male demo pool have still been adding football, and “esports” recognition is no different, especially if your recruiting base is going to be global, especially into Asia. With little investment (which is a tragic mistake schools will make, adding something with no legit understanding or base of knowledge for a program) schools can start or enhance or formally recognize an “esports” program, and get into the conversation very quickly. Many schools in recent years looking for a wider student body have added rugby, especially sevens rugby. Why? It has a deep international base, does not cost a great deal, is NOT regulated by the NCAA and can bring in both men and women. Simpler than football or baseball or hoops, and it can almost self police itself and get schools like Lindenwood University or Life University some great exposure with small barriers to entry.
Same with esports. We know there is a large Asian base for select games, we know that gaming is a growing opportunity, we know we need to get recognized, we know we can increase our enrollment with this enticement, so let’s do it.
Conversely, schools with larger or growing populations are finding that esports as a competitive activity, one that probably already exists, is a great enhancement to the enrollment conversation for now. Will that continue as the competition for students gets hotter? We shall see. We have visited campuses where students have been attracted because of ballroom dancing or club fencing or debate, esports as an enticement for enrollment will be no different.
Fourth- STEM STEM STEM. One of the most important areas of academic community growth in the United States should be around STEM; Science Engineering Technology and Math. Solid STEM programs attract global students, create jobs and help us mold the competitive future. In many ways the business of esports enhances all STEM programs, because if it’s base of strategy and coding. Making STEM fun through esports brings a gaming and academic community together in a pretty seamless way, and will probably get science kids more excited about competition, and maybe even expose gamers to careers in the sciences. Played well, both sides of the boat rise together.
Another genre that fits the STEM and athletics mix to watch; competitive robotics. Growing, like esports, and has all the elements of science and sport to put it on par at some point.
Fifth- Academic institutions better learn and listen, or they will crash and burn. Saying we have “esports” is like saying we have a deli, or we like the Olympics. Few school administrations have taken the time to understand yet what games have vibrant communities on campus and which do not. There has also been this mix in of games like NBA 2K and FIFA and Madden which are more sports based games than traditional esports on the professional side, and all have been thrown together. This can be disastrous for the great unwashed. Communities for specific games on any level can be as different as trying to get the ballet club to mix with the debate club. They all have to be treated differently and with understanding. Now does this mean that the nexus of gaming and a passion for such doesn’t have some common ground? No it doesn’t. but looping all “esports” together is going to be both painful and evolutionary for some schools, and it will be wrought with failure and disillusionment. Take the time to understand what you are saying by simply listening. It will save schools time and money.
Sixth- Crossover to mainstream athletics. Every time there is a “sport” that becomes buzzworthy; MMA, poker, cornhole, cross training, rugby, boxing, pickleball, there is a rush to adapt. Many times it falls to club activities and finds its niche, sometimes it suffers and dies on the vine because the powers that be don’t understand what they are engaging with. The difference here with competitive gaming and other forms of esports is that you have young athletes on varsity teams already who have an affinity for gaming of some sort, much like an affinity for texting or music. It’s something they have grown up with, even if it is FIFA or Madden and not Overwatch. Chances are they understand it and if they don’t play, have friends that do. Therefore coaches and admins need to have an understanding of how that crossover, and that talk can benefit them in conversations. Now that does not mean that the Overwatch team at the University of Utah is going to start hanging out with the football team, not just yet. However on most campuses there may not be any or little interaction amongst competitive sports teams. A commonality of competition yes, but not a lot in common outside. So the crossover comes in that level of competition, and that can be used to everyone’s benefit. Understanding the competitive nature of anything, from symphony and debate to women’s field hockey takes some time, but can be very beneficial to all, and that crossover can help again lift both side of the boat.
Seventh- Scholarships, did you say scholarships? Stop acting like “scholarships” for esports is so crazy. Schools, especially small schools, all deal with a pot of money to entice enrollment. Anyone who has gone through a college admissions process in the past half century knows the deal; it’s like buying a car. The “advisor” disappears, looks at your skill set or your grades and comes back with some dollars for aide. Competitive esports at some, some schools, will be no different than being a great debater or bassoon player or a basketball player. You get rewarded for enhancing the school profile. Plain and simple. No one complains when someone gets a merit scholarship, why should a gaming scholarship be any different. Get over it folks.
Eighth- Evolution is painful. Like so many things that are buzzworthy, the rush to be part of a movement is going to be fraught with mistakes, misnomers and wasted spending by those who don’t take the time to grow slowly and understand the landscape. There are going to be questions about shooter games, about drug testing (an issue with ADD medication in competitive esports), gambling, match fixing, recruitment violations, kids failing out of school, schools under delivering, issues with gender balance and on and on and on. What schools need to do is make sure they UNDERSTAND what the issues are as much as the opportunities.
Also, while the audience for esports is growing, sampling of interest on many campuses might NOT be as big as one thinks. Asking before acting will save a great amount of time.
Lastly, think about the audience as kids and students first, athletes to be brought to the limelight second. Kids are under enough pressure these days in many aspects, don’t make them human casualties for financial gain again, without understanding the pratfalls.
With all that, is the college campus a place where esports, or better yet, gaming, can thrive? Well guess what, it already is there. It is a community that exists and can be nurtured at the right pace, at the right place and at the right time and with the right finances if needed. It is not going to be the massive windfall or distraction that some fear, it will find its spot, and the cream will rise to the top.
Just don’t try and drink it all or spread it too thin, and most of all, take the time to learn what the IT is, before you try and make the splash.
Esports on college campuses will be a great learning and litmus test for a global sports business society going forward, but remember what one of our great educators, Ben Franklin, always preached; “Moderation in all things.” Even gaming.
