Murray State College is making plans to develop an esports (short for electronic sports) program that will offer full-time students the opportunity to compete in tournaments and scrimmages in the online world of video gaming.
Esports is the name for professional competitive gaming in which competitors play video games while being watched by a live audience in house and millions more online. The 2016 League of Legends World Championship finals attracted 43 million viewers.
Top esports players are recognized for their use of strategic thinking, mental agility, intellectual curiosity, creativity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
“We have realized how monumental the wave of esports has become and want to prepare students and give them the opportunity to compete and be employed in this emerging arena,” said MSC President Joy McDaniel.
Potential careers are varied in an industry that is estimated to produce over $1 billion in revenue over the next two years. Positions include game development, professional player status and opportunities in performance coaching and training.
Murray State is anticipating its first team of 10-15 members to be in place by the fall of 2020.
Team members will work individually and together to develop and improve their competitive skills while pursuing academic degrees.