One of the many great things about going to college is playing sports on the varsity team. Unfortunately, many students feel that current sports programs aren’t enticing enough. In recent years, more students have spent their time out of the classroom playing video games. It appears that colleges are noticing how popular video games have become. In this post, you’ll learn why many colleges are interested in the world of competitive gaming.
Video games used to be played by friends in the privacy of a living room. Many students would play video games while others were on the field practicing their skills at sports. It now looks like the gap between video gamer and college athlete is narrowing. The rise in popularity of video games has changed how this hobby is viewed by the public. There are now massive gaming tournaments held throughout the year with huge prize purses. It’s common for the best video game players to earn millions per year, something only an elite level athlete would earn. Colleges across the nation are beginning to notice how profitable eSports have become.
Colleges around that nation are offering students a spot on their varsity gaming teams. The National Association of Collegiate eSports is working on finding colleges to participate in this league. The Toledo Blade reports that the University of California currently its own eSports arena that cost $250,000 to build. Colleges are willing to spend costs associated with creating an eSports team to see overall enrollment numbers increase.
In summary, the world of competitive gaming is now arriving in colleges. Many colleges are known for having varsity teams play sports including football, baseball, and basketball. The rise of competitive gaming is something colleges have noticed and are working to capitalize on. There are nearly 50 eSports teams currently competing at a collegiate level. The National Association of Collegiate eSports is working to ensure their organizations continues to grow.
