By Kayla Miller SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — The esports industry, or the competitive gaming industry has grown exponentially in recent years.
According to a report on Newzoo, the esports audience is expected to grow will grow to 453.8 million worldwide this year. College campuses around the country and world are capitalizing on the industry’s growth by offering degree programs and courses to teach students about the business aspect behind esports.
Soon, schools such as Ohio State University, Shenandoah University, Becker College, and Chichester University in Britain will launch esports degree courses.
Syracuse University has already jumped on the esports wagon. In its recent opening of its new recreation facility, The Barnes Center at the Arch, they featured a a high tech esports room filled with high defintion televisions and several computers for competitive gaming.
The university also teaches esports courses, but they do not offer a degree for the field. Olivia Stomski, Director of the Newhouse Sports Media Center co-teaches one of the esports classes at the university. She says the business is growing at a fast pace.
“We’re starting to see this industry grow in a way that many people didn’t think it was going to happen. We’re starting to see the intersection of esports and mainstream sports, whether it be esports events on local cable channels or universities having teams compete against each other,” Stomski said.
With this new field of study suddenly booming, Stomski says parents should not be worried about their son or daughter going into the industry.
“The industry is growing so fast and it’s showing that it is here to stay. There are so many jobs that students are gathering from esports. If your son or daughter gets a job in advertsing for an esports company, you shouldn’t be worried,” Stomski said.
