Is Esports An Ncaa Sport?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is considering adding esports to its list of sanctioned sports. But is esports really a sport?

What is esports?

Esports, also known as electronic sports, are organized competitions between professional video game players. Esports typically take the form of tournaments or leagues, with players competing for cash prizes. Some of the most popular esports games includeLeague of Legends, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

The esports industry is growing rapidly, with global revenues estimated to reach $1.1 billion by 2020. This growth is being driven by increased interest from both casual and hardcore gamers, as well as major investments from traditional sports organizations and sponsors.

Despite this growth, there is still some debate over whether or not esports should be considered a true sport. This debate has largely been driven by the lack of physical activity involved in playing video games. However, many experts believe that esports should be considered a sport due to the high level of skill and competition required to be successful.

A brief history of esports

Esports, also known as electronic sports, competitive (video) gaming, or pro gaming, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players (“esports athletes”), individually or as teams. Although organized online and offline competitions have long been a part of video game culture, these were largely between amateurs until the late 2000s when participation by professional gamers and spectatorship in these events saw a large surge in popularity. By the 2010s, esports was a significant factor in the video game industry, with many game developers actively supporting and promoting esports competitions.

The most common video game genres associated with esports are real-time strategy (RTS), first-person shooter (FPS), multi-player online battle arena (MOBA) and fighting. Other popular genres include card games such as Hearthstone; racing games such as Formula One; digital collectible card games such as Pokémon Trading Card Game Online; and puzzle games such as Tetris.

The rise of collegiate esports

Since the early 2010s, esports has been growing in popularity, especially among young people. Today, esports is a multimillion-dollar industry with professional teams and athletes competing in international tournaments. And as the popularity of esports has grown, so too has the interest in collegiate esports.

Collegiate esports is still in its infancy, but it is rapidly growing. There are now over 50 colleges and universities with varsity esports programs, and that number is expected to continue to rise. These programs are not just for gamers either; many of them offer scholarships and stipends to their athletes.

So what does the future hold for collegiate esports? It is hard to say for sure, but it seems likely that it will continue to grow in popularity and importance. Only time will tell if it will one day be considered an NCAA sport.

Why isn’t esports an NCAA sport?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletes from over 1,268 institutions and conferences.

Despite the growth of esports, the NCAA has yet to classify it as an official sport. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that there is no single governing body for esports, and that many collegiate esports programs are run by Student Activities departments rather than Athletic departments.

Another reason is that most esports players are considered amateur athletes, as they are not paid to compete. The NCAA only regulates sports where athletes can be paid to play.

Some college athletic programs have begun to offer scholarships for esports athletes, but it is still unclear if and when the NCAA will officially recognize esports as a sport.

The future of esports

With the recent announcement that the NCAA is considering adding esports to its list of recognized sports, the question on everyone’s mind is: will esports be an NCAA sport?

The answer, unfortunately, is not clear. While the NCAA has indicated that it is interested in exploring esports as a potential sport, it has not made any official decisions. However, the organization has created a working group to study the issue and make recommendations.

The future of esports in the NCAA will likely depend on several factors, including whether or not schools are interested in adding esports programs, whether or not there is enough interest from students, and whether or not the NCAA believes that esports meets its standards for a recognized sport.

At this point, it is impossible to say definitively whether or not esports will be an NCAA sport in the future. However, with the level of interest and investment from colleges and universities, it seems likely that we will see at least some form of competition in the near future.