University esports: It's more than 5G gaming

Esports is experiencing a massive surge in popularity. Esports viewership is on a steady ascent in viewership and opportunity. Notably, the audience for esports is younger than that of traditional major sports leagues and more technologically proficient.

University esports has emerged as a major trend in higher education; colleges and universities are investing millions of dollars in state-of-the-art esports facilities, recruiting esports coaches, cultivating varsity esports leagues and attracting top talent with esports scholarships.

Here's what university and college leaders need to know about the rapid growth of esports in higher education, the benefits esports can offer to students and universities alike, and how a modern network infrastructure can enable robust, engaging and effective learning experiences on campus today.

University esports is about more than 5G gaming

5G gaming is already popular on college and university campuses, but university esports is a distinctly different phenomenon. Unlike 5G mobile gaming, in which individual students may compete against other people online and stream or watch games in progress on Twitch or YouTube when they're not in class, esports in higher education can now be a collective team activity that helps improves engagement, a collegiate major and even the entry point to a promising career.

Like traditional collegiate sports, there are tryouts—often in person on campus—in which coaches and recruiters assess a prospective student's abilities in core areas like in-game communication, team play and attitude. A high school senior who wants to be recruited into a top esports program might put together an esports highlight reel showcasing their talents to stand out from the competition. If they succeed in impressing the coaches, they might earn a valuable scholarship and a spot on a high-profile team.

Take Harrisburg University in Pennsylvania, where the HU Storm esports team is the only varsity sports team on campus. The HU Storm has garnered over 50 collegiate championships in just a few short years. Its League of Legends team has consistently ranked in the top 25 in the country for their League of Legends team, and the university can even count a national Overwatch champion among its ranks. Harrisburg University aims to help make the state of Pennsylvania a prominent hub for the esports industry.

Based in central Michigan, Northwood University has also leveraged its esports program to distinguish itself among its peers. Northwood University esports is what allows it to shine. Boasting a 2,000+ square foot, state-of-the-art gaming center that attracts top-tier talent, Northwood University has claimed multiple national titles in Rocket League and Overwatch since its esports program was founded in 2019. Additionally, two Northwood U players were signed to play eSports professionally.

As esports in higher education has become more professionalized, a larger supportive infrastructure has emerged to support its growth. The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), the regulatory body for varsity esports, now consists of over 240 member schools and over 5,000 student-athletes. It offers $16 million in esports scholarships and aid and hosts an annual national convention. Meanwhile, the Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), now part of IMG Academy, aids colleges and universities in recruiting top esports athletes to their programs.

What are the benefits of esports in higher education?

Unlike traditional college and university athletics programs, which are usually only accessible to student-athletes with specific physical abilities, university esports can be played and enjoyed by students of all physical fitness levels, skill levels, genders, ages and socio-economic backgrounds. While esports in higher education may hold special interest for students inclined toward STEM fields, they are available to anyone regardless of their major or academic focus. As such, esports can be used to help foster an inclusive environment on campus.

University esports programs or clubs can help increase students’ feeling of belonging in the school community, boosting their self-esteem and improving engagement. Participating in esports can help students cultivate skills that are transferable to a wide range of career paths, such as leadership, strategic decision-making, collaboration, organizational skills and analytical acumen. Recognizing the benefits of esports, some colleges now offer specialized degrees in esports management, game design, esports marketing and similar fields. A select few students may even turn professional, pursuing full-fledged careers in esports itself.

Colleges and universities can also benefit from providing esports programming and hosting esports competitions. For example, those that offer esports scholarships may have an advantage when recruiting gifted students in esports and STEM fields. They may even be able to leverage esports to boost enrollment.

Esports can contribute to a vibrant life on campus and cultivate a strong school spirit, making a college or university more attractive even to students who may or may not choose to participate in esports themselves. Esports in higher education can also serve as a revenue stream, bringing in funds through sponsorships, ticket sales and the like. Because esports events can draw large audiences, esports can introduce entirely new audiences to a college or university with which they might not have previously been familiar.

What kind of infrastructure is required for university esports?

As colleges and universities invest in state-of-the-art esports facilities to recruit talented student-athletes and grow their programs, they are looking for the best ways to strengthen and modernize their network infrastructure. 5G network connectivity on campus is already helping to open the door to powerful digital transformation, which can help power student and faculty success in the process. These ultra-fast, low latency networks can also power today's state-of-the-art esports facilities, delivering top-notch performance for regular competition and special tournaments.

5G connectivity is also essential for broadcasting esports events, reaching broad audiences from within the campus and beyond it, which, in turn, can help a college or university from a brand recognition perspective. Should a university wish to create a pop-up location for a special esports event, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) can offer the reliable and strong connectivity necessary for the mobility, portability and performance of esports.

Some esports programs focus on game development, in which case there may be an interest in exploring how technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) could advance esports. 5G and FWA can provide connectivity at scale in those cases, allowing today's esports students to help innovate the sport itself.

Maximize the opportunities for esports in higher education

As the benefits of esports in higher education become increasingly clear, colleges and universities are looking for the best ways to build and develop effective esports programs. In doing so, they can provide richer learning and teaching opportunities, improve student engagement and academic outcomes, foster a more vibrant campus culture and even bring in revenue that can then be used to improve their programs further. Some universities are even directly contributing to the growth of the esports industry in their state, creating a valuable economic engine for their communities in the process. With the abundant opportunities that university esports enable, colleges and universities have a unique chance to advance their missions and make their communities thrive.

Learn how Verizon's higher education solutions promote digital equity, help safeguard data and create a connected campus with secure connectivity solutions and help from experienced professionals.

The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.