Now this is interesting news! Harrisburg University is offering a new program for “Bachelors of Science degree in Esports”. Why is this interesting? Esports degrees aren’t new by this point. Because this one isn’t focused on gameplay, that’s why!

Program Lead Charles Palmer hopes people ask “is this a college degree in playing video games?” and here’s why:

“I hope people ask that question,” said program lead Charles Palmer. “Because that’s a great way to start a conversation.

A New Path in 2020

You can practice esports skills anytime, but while you’re in the classroom, perhaps you should be focused on more pertinent matters. In the 2020 Spring Semester, Harrisburg University students will have the option to learn the business side of esports.

Harrisburg has already been pushing towards collegiate-level esports, this is a whole other level. This move is aimed at teaching the administrative and managerial side of the billion-dollar industry.

Charles Palmer seems very excited about the program:

“I tend to use the physical sports analogy. Think about a baseball team. There’s X number of players on a field, and for each one of them there are ten people who work for the company. This program trains everyone who’s not a player. This program helps people to run the business of esports.”

This degree path will focus on managing and coaching teams, marketing, promotion, social media engagement and so much more. What’s better, is you can take the lessons learned in this degree path into other mediums. Managing, marketing, these are skills you can apply elsewhere.

Sure, the actual gaming is important to an esports organization or development team. But you need accountants, marketing executives, coaches, and more than that. This path is for the people that want to help the orgs grow, and get the word out about just how great their team is.

“What they would like to have is employees coming in knowing exactly what esports is, but also having the skills do to what’s required of them,” he said. “This isn’t something HU has asked us to create, this is something that tournament organizers, events, leagues, the various industries of esports, this is what they’re asking for. And we happen to be in a position to supply that for them.”

This is so awesome. I’ll never be an esports pro, but this is the side of things that really interests me, the administration side. It takes both sides working together to make a team truly great.

The Future of College Education

There’s still a perception of esports being a bunch of nerds huddled together in a basement or gym somewhere, playing video games. That’s just not the case anymore. It’s a global entertainment brand, where just about anyone can get into with the right knowledge and hard work.

The Overwatch League at the Barclays Center last summer sold out in minutes. That’s more than just a handful of nerds watching Overwatch. Even EVO, one of the world’s biggest fighting game tournaments started at a tiny venue with a couple of hundred people watching. Now? It’s a massive, global event with tens of thousands watching around the world.

There are so many people that want to play in the esports arena, but there simply aren’t enough people who want to work on the other side of things. Or rather, perhaps those people don’t know how to get into the managerial or admin side of the business. Degree paths like this will help, and that’s a fact.

John Fazio is the CEO of Nerd Street Gamers, and is one of Harrisburg University’s partners, alongside Susquehanna Esports. These partners are helping to build and develop graduates, and give them the expertise necessary to find jobs in this field. He spoke recently about Esports, and how it’s more than simply “good players”.

“Building the infrastructure for Esports goes beyond finding talented players. It requires a foundation that increases accessibility for more individuals to participate in gaming, and educational training programs that develop talent in early stages.”

This is the next step in the growth of esports. Esports is bigger and more fascinating than people realize. If those same people decide that esports isn’t for them, the skills they learn could easily transition into traditional sports admin or many other areas. I hope more universities are paying attention to this.