Great Places: SOU’s Esports Program

If you glance at the word ‘esports’ and wonder if someone has spelled ‘exports’ wrong…well, keep reading—this article is meant for you! Esports (pronounced e-sports)—refers to organized, multiplayer video game competitions, usually between professional players or teams. The activity originated in the 1970s and today, is a billion-dollar industry reflected around the globe. Like with traditional sports, esports players train, employ coaches, and are professionally traded among teams. Many universities are even beginning to recruit esports players and provide labs for esports clubs. Southern Oregon University (SOU) is one of the first schools in the nation to launch an esports minor—which not only provides an opportunity for students to enjoy competition, but teaches ethics, psychology, and organization in the video gaming world.

A few of the faces behind the esports SOU minor include Jeremy Carlton, Esports Management Faculty, Neil Woolf, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Sue Walsh, SOU Provost, and Ian Hunt, President of SunSpear Games—an international video game developer with headquarters in Medford. They explained the hopes and dreams of the SOU esports minor, as well as what the esports industry looks like—beyond the university.

As with conventional sports, esports involves brands, marketing, and events. In fact, only ten percent of esports industry professionals are gamers. “Long-term opportunities for esport support jobs are expanding,” Hunt said. “And it’s worldwide.” The global video game market is estimated to be at $291.16 billion by 2027. China, the U.S., and Brazil are the top three consumers, followed by Russia, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea. Even for non-players, competitions are becoming massive spectator sports, with 100 million viewers tuning in for the League of Legends World Championship.

“A lot of kids pursuing esports are doing it as a hobby—or skipping college,” explained Hunt and Carlton. “The prime age for esports professionals is twenty to twenty-three years old.” Part of this has to do with response time and the brain’s ability to react to onscreen stimuli. Yet by having esports as a minor, it is the university’s hope that some of those students who would otherwise skip school to practice can have that same chance to compete—while also obtaining higher education. “From an academic standpoint, the shifting of subliminal messages in games is fascinating,” said Walsh, bringing up the representation of women in video games. In a lot of ways, the video game industry has mirrored television shifts, now featuring more character development, ethnic diversity, and females in lead roles. Having classes that focus on these conversations—and how to make gamer culture more inclusive—is an important part of SOU’s esports minor.

“There’s also an international component to any esports game,” said Carlton. “Nearly every country that has good internet has esports players. Learning how to interact courteously and connect with a global culture is exciting. SOU may even recruit more international students because of this minor.”

And of course, Southern Oregon University isn’t the only place rooting for esports. The Olympic Committee has even debated allowing esports to compete alongside traditional sports. The top esports players spend over fifty hours a week practicing their skills—much like pro athletes. Physical fitness, healthy diets, and activities that keep the brain sharp are all important to a pro gamer’s success. Yet esports have a challenge that conventional sports do not: quick evolution in technology and game popularity. A player may excel at a particular game, but in five years’ time, ninety percent of the esports world will have moved onto the next big game. Software updates and the fastest streaming speeds are also crucial in esports—a buffering signal can ruin a player’s chances at success. Learning to pivot is a phrase you may have heard a lot recently—and serious esports players must become well-versed in pivoting—a skill useful beyond the arena.

We all may have heard that life’s not just fun and games…but to an esports player, learning to adapt and tackle challenging levels is all part of the fun. If you’ve read this far and still have curiosities about video games or tournaments, visit your local esports lab or talk to one of the seven SOU students minoring in esports—and let the games begin!

(Visit SOU’s esports program here).

(Strategy 3.4.- Support expanded technical education and higher education programming, especially for in-demand fields, such as healthcare, high tech, and engineering.)