Are Esports Taking Over College Sports?

At this point, it’s pretty clear that Esports are here to stay. This year, for example, there are over two dozen major tournaments being held in locations as far flung as Canne, France, and Singapore. The question that comes to my mind, then, is what role Esports may have in our broader society going forward.

As a recent NPR piece highlights, some high schools and colleges are starting to treat Esports as sports or activities- they’re offering staff to guide students, spaces/times in which to organize practices and tournaments, and, in some cases, funding that even includes college scholarships for esports.

Does this mean that Esports are going to totally take over from other big spectator sports such as football, basketball, and soccer? In my estimation, probably not. At least, not yet. But there are still some interesting things to keep in mind. There are some really encouraging sighs from these early years of esports: professional leagues are forming, young people are staying interested, and schools are paying attention. All of those tournaments we mentioned are held by professional leagues. The formation and presence of those leagues serve as both a major public face for Esports, but also a goal towards which competitors can strive.

Gaming is still a major part of youth culture, one which I doubt is going anywhere as devices are getting both cheaper and higher performing every season. Also, the first generation of gamers are just now becoming the age at which we will have more decision-making power in organizations such as schools: we’ll be more willing to add Esports to a school program. At the very least, this means Esports in high school will continue.

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The fact that any programs exist at all is a big stride. Esports in college will probably be the next arena for expansion. In an era where other non-physical programs such as chess clubs and Model UN teams are often cut, survival is a win.

From the perspective of gender equality, this might also be a space in which a lot of progress is possible. Since Esports do not usually depend on ray physical strength, there is no real need to divide leagues by gender, or by (dis)ability status for that matter. That means that everyone has a shot at competing on an equal footing, while getting around some of the trickier, body essentialist debates that plague a number of more traditional sports now.

Obviously, this is assuming a lot in terms of acceptance from the stereotypically white, straight, male, American gaming community, but at least the opportunity for progress is baked right into Esports as a competitive genre. I doubt that we’ll be seeing 100,000 plus drunk college kids packing a stadium in the snow to watch Fortnite tournaments next fall, but Esports might be a great way to talk about gender and body in sports in productive ways.

Ge’NeL hopes to see more women and girls in esports. What about you? Like us on Facebook and share your opinion.