What Colleges Have Esports Programs?

Thinking about joining the world of esports? Here’s what you need to know about what colleges have esports programs.

Introduction

Esports, also known as electronic sports, are a form of competition that is facilitated by electronic systems, particularly video games; the input of players and teams as well as the output of the esports system are mediated by human-computer interfaces. Esports often take the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players. The most common video games represented in esports are real-time strategy, first-person shooter (FPS), and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). Tournaments such as The International, the League of Legends World Championship, the Battle.net World Championship Series, and the FIFA eWorld Cup are among the largest in terms of both prize money and mainstream coverage.

The origins of esports date back to 1972, when Stanford University hosted a Spacewar tournament with a top prize of a year’s subscription for Rolling Stone magazine. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, video game competitions such as Space Invaders Championships and Atari’s Space War tournaments attracted thousands of players and spectators to arcades across North America and Europe. However, with the advent of personal computers and home video game consoles in the late 1970s and 1980s, esports grew to include more than just arcade gaming; now games on personal computers and consoles were becoming just as popular in competition as arcade games were.

Today, there are many collegiate esports programs across North America at both the varsity and club level. These programs are largely funded by student activity fees or through external sponsorships from companies such as TESPA (Tespa is a collegiate Esports organization that hosts competitions for students across North America), which itself is sponsored by companies like NVIDIA, Logitech G,, and Red Bull. Many of these programs offer scholarships to their best players. Some notable collegiate Esports programs include: Robert Morris University (RMU), Maryville University (MU) St. Louis,, University of Akron (UA), Miami OH University (MUOHIO), UC Berkeley (UCB), UC Irvine (UCI), UC San Diego (UCSD), Clarkson University (CU), Georgia Institute of Technology (GT).

UC Irvine

The University of California, Irvine is one of the first colleges in the United States to offer a varsity esports program.

Prior to joining the NCAA, UCI’s esports program was a member of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), where it competed in League of Legends, Overwatch, and Hearthstone. In June 2018, UCI was accepted as an official NCAA Division I school, and their varsity esports program became the first official esports program in the state of California.

As of September 2019, UCI’s varsity esports program offers scholarships to students competing in League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Rocket League, and Smash Bros. They compete in the Pacific West Conference of TESPA (Collegiate Starleague), and their League of Legends team is currently ranked #1 in North America by LoL Esports.

UC Berkeley

Berkeley has an official competitive esports program that was started in 2016. The program is a partnership between the school’s athleic department and its student-run gaming club. The program offers scholarships to gamers and provides practice space and coaching. Some of the games that are played through the program include Overwatch, League of Legends, and Hearthstone.

UC Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz currently has the largest collegiate esports program in North America, with over 150 students competing in thirteen different games. The program is open to all UCSC students, regardless of skill level or previous experience. UCSC’s esports teams have won numerous championships in various games, including Overwatch, League of Legends, and Dota 2.

UC San Diego

The University of California, San Diego has one of the most successful collegiate esports programs in the country. The school’s team, known as the Tritons, competes in a variety of games, including League of Legends, Overwatch, and Rocket League. The school has also been a pioneer in offering scholarships to esports athletes.

Loyola Marymount

Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California is one of the first colleges in the country to support an esports program. The university has a varsity esports team that competes in games such as Overwatch, League of Legends, and CS:GO. In addition to the varsity team, LMU also has an esports club open to all students. The club meets weekly to play games and hosts tournaments throughout the year.

Other colleges with esports programs include UC Irvine, Robert Morris University, and the University of Utah.

Pepperdine

While some might think of esports as a relatively new phenomenon, in reality, it has been around for quite some time. The roots of esports can be traced back to the early days of video gaming, with the first recorded esports event taking place in 1972. Since then, esports has grown rapidly in popularity, especially among young people. Today, there are professional leagues and tournaments for a variety of games, with some players earning millions of dollars in prize money.

Not surprisingly, given its popularity, a number of colleges and universities have begun to offer esports programs. These programs typically involve both training and competition in a particular game or games. Some colleges also offer scholarships to students who excel at esports. Here is a look at some of the colleges that have esports programs:

-Pepperdine University: Pepperdine offers an esports scholarship program for students who compete in League of Legends, Overwatch, and/or Rocket League. The school also has an Esports Arena on campus where students can practice and compete.
-Boise State University: Boise State offers an esports program for students who compete in League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Rocket League. The school has an on-campus gaming facility where students can practice and compete.
-University of California Irvine: UC Irvine has an esports program that offers scholarships to students who compete in Overwatch, Hearthstone, League of Legends, and Rocket League. The school also has an on-campus arena where students can practice and compete.
-Ohio State University: Ohio State offers an Esports Experience for students interested in competitive gaming. This program includes opportunities to train with professional gamers and compete against other schools.

USC

The University of Southern California is one of the leading colleges for esports. They offer scholarships for students who want to compete in League of Legends, Overwatch, and Hearthstone. USC also has an esports arena on campus that students can use to practice and compete.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many colleges that have esports programs. This is a great way to get involved in the competitive gaming scene and learn more about the industry. There are many different types of programs, so be sure to research each one thoroughly before making a decision.