ECPI University Holding Tryouts eSports Team

ECPI University Holding Tryouts for Hampton Roads’ First Intercollegiate eSports Team

Each Member to Receive Scholarship

eSports: the world’s fastest growing sport. Once held primarily in banquet halls and small conference centers, eSports is attracting a massive following, filling venues as large as Madison Square Garden and the Staples Center, as evidence by this video report by The Wall Street Journal. Now, the nation’s colleges and universities are beginning to add eSports to their programs.

ECPI University Holding Tryouts eSports Team

There are currently 88 schools that comprise NACE, the National Association of Collegiate eSports, with ECPI University being the most recent to join its ranks. The first school in Hampton Roads to form an intercollegiate eSports team, ECPI will be holding tryouts on June 22 and 23. Competing as The Rams, the team is seeking members for:

  • OVERWATCH
  • CS:GO
  • HEARTHSTONE
  • LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
  • ROCKET LEAGUE
  • SMITE
  • HEROES OF THE STORM

“ECPI University is so excited to have an eSports team,” says team coach and Associate Dean of Academic Technology Gerry White. “It just makes sense for our school, being so forward thinking with technology, to also help and shape the future of eSports.”

Every students that makes the team will receive a scholarship which can range between $1,000 and $5,000. “ECPI University has a longstanding tradition of leading the way locally and nationally for non-traditional learning and success,” says team manager and ECPI University Director of Web Services Mike Glover. “It only makes sense that we would lead the way with the first eSports Varsity team in Hampton Roads.” 

Yes, eSports is big and it’s going to get a lot bigger. How big? As noted by The Wall Street Journal report, the Philadelphia 76ers recently purchased the UK-based professional team, DIGNITAS. Supporters say it may not be long before eSports becomes part of the Olympics.

The early numbers are staggering. Newzoo conducted a study and found:

  • The League of Legends World Championship was the most watched event on Twitch in 2017 with 49.5 million hours, generating $5.5 million in ticket revenues
  • The eSports audience will reach 380 million this year, 13.5% more than last year
  • In 2017, 588 major eSports events generated an estimated $59 million in ticket revenues, $32 million greater than 2016

“Given its worldwide growth, it only makes sense that collegiate teams would then form and begin to compete,” says Glover. “We look forward to competing against all of these other forward-thinking schools across the country.” To learn more, visit us at ecpi.edu/esports.

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