Last updated on November 24, 2020
I have to admit, esports have kind of quietly crept on me. I’ve been dimly aware that there are video gaming leagues and some colleges even offer Fortnite scholarships. But the true scope of what esports have currently become had escaped me, until now. Esports have far surpassed the realm of the hobby player and moved into the territory of serious financial viability.
“To put it in perspective, according to Allied eSports, which is among the brand leaders, as an industry video gaming is already bigger than music and movies combined, with eSports, as predicted by Forbes, already on the path to hit over $300 billion by 2025.”–Dawn.com
- How esports can save colleges [Tech Crunch] “Outside forces have eroded a once-near-hegemonic source of collegiate pride, cultural power, recruitment, alumni engagement and, in some cases, revenue.”
- All eyes on esports: staying ahead of the legal hurdles [GamesIndustry.biz] “Increased investment and an influx of household names and brands leads to greater media attention and increased scrutiny from rights holders and regulators. This puts greater pressure on investors entering the esports industry to ensure their plans and ideas aren’t hampered by applicable law and regulation. “
- Esports Content Now On NBC(LX) [Forbes] “One of the hot content areas in the digital world today is streaming content and especially streaming of Esports competitions. NBCLX new esports content will include content about the big games in the Esports world today – such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, etc. Some of the content will be mini-challenges and competitions. There will also be interviews with players and streamers, as well as some holiday season themed content. “
- Esports leagues growing on HBCU campuses [The Undefeated] “HBCUs confront an urgent dilemma, exacerbated by the uncontrolled pandemic — dwindling enrollment, leading to economically insecure institutions. Though there is no single path forward academically or financially for the more than 100 HBCUs, they seek a redemption narrative. Some of these schools are reaching for a promising tool for their salvation — video games and esports.”
From the Ohio Web Library:
- Esports Practice: A Lucrative Micro-Niche (McKenna, P. J. (2019). Esports Practice: A Lucrative Micro-Niche. Of Counsel, 38(12), 10–12.)
- Embrace Esports in the Library (CESARI, L. (2020). Embrace Esports in the Library. School Library Journal, 66(1), 14.)
- Miami Univ. Library Hosts Esports Arena (Enis, M. (2018). Miami Univ. Library Hosts Esports Arena. Library Journal, 143(2), 22–23.)
