If you’re unfamiliar with esports, it’s likely you’re about to be. That’s because universities in St. Louis are pushing to make the city a collegiate hub for esports. And so far it appears to be working.
Maryville University was one of the first schools in the country to offer college scholarships for esports. They've won back-to-back national championships and have more than 30 kids on scholarship. The game of choice? League Of Legends.
“I think it’s the mecca right now for collegiate esports," said Daniel Clerke, Maryville University's director of esports. “We’re getting national attention the school is normally not getting because of our success, and I think the schools in the St. Louis area just kind of want to latch onto that and be a part of it. Because I think what we’re creating here in St. Louis is a true grassroots infrastructure for esports."
Clerke is a senior at Maryville but also a professional gamer who makes mid-six figures. He also says some of his esports players make up to $30,000 a month through sponsorships.
Such opportunities aren't prohibited because esports isn't sanctioned by the NCAA.
"It's getting pretty big," laughed Clerke.
And it appears to be growing more quickly in St. Louis than anywhere else, at least collegiately.
“We can see ourselves growing to more than 30 or 40 student-athletes in a couple years here and growing esports to a typical, traditional sport just like our other teams," said John Yehling, Missouri Baptist University associate athletic director.
Yehling is also the esports program director at MoBap. They were also one of the first schools in the country to start offering scholarships to gamers.
“Some of them don’t play traditional sports so this is another avenue for them to get scholarships, go to college and do the things they enjoy to do," said Andrew Douglas, MoBap's esports coach.
MoBap currently holds practices in the back of an old classroom. However, they hope to continue to grow the program, and that would include remodeling the basement of a dorm — currently storage space — to an esports competition lounge.
“We want to be one of those universities who takes it to the next level," said Yehling. “The times when it was kind of a joke to be a gamer are gone. Now gaming is top of the road. They’re earning more sponsorship dollars than most athletic teams in many cases."
It's not uncommon for gamers on scholarship to practice 12 or more hours per day. Considering the money that's being made and the great recruiting tool it's been for smaller schools, esports doesn't appear to be a fad that's going away anytime soon.
