Hyperice is a US-based company with a strong focus on innovation and sports wellness. Their line of recovery and mobility devices are ruling the market, captivating some of the biggest sports stars out there. We’re talking Blake Griffin, Hope Solo, and Patrick Peterson, and many others. Hyperice’s products are being used by more than 200 collegiate and professional sports teams, and they’ve already expanded into more than 50 countries worldwide. However, their latest endeavor is particularly exciting – Hyperice launches esports scholarship in collaboration with the University of California Irvine!

Esports Athletes Cashing In Fat College Funds

Even though this news might sound surprising to uninformed ears, esports-based scholarships have already established themselves across the USA. Believe it or not, nearly 200 US colleges are already offering roughly $15 million per year in esports scholarships. These scholarships are handed out to the elite athletes spread across the USA, some of which will surely develop into the next CS:GO, Overwatch, LoL, or CoD superstars.

And we’re talking about exponentially rising numbers here. Year in and year out, the esports industry continues to grow in popularity and, with it, college esports scholarships are on the rise as well. The 2015/2016 academic year has seen roughly $2.5 million in esports-based scholarships, but as we already mentioned, this number topped $15 million in 2018/2019.

Here’s a quick chart that’ll put things into perspective:

Data From: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE ESPORTS

Hyperice Launches Esports Scholarship in Colab with UCI

It’s official – Hyperice launches their esports scholarship in collaboration with UCI in the fall of 2019. It will be given out to two sports medicine individuals with a passion for esports.

But why UCI of all places?

Well, the University of California Irvine is definitely the go-to school for Hyperice to collaborate with. After all, UCI was crowned as the No. 1 school for gamers according to College Magazine and has become known for having one of the most innovative esports collegiate programs in the world. Furthermore, UCI is also the youngest member of the prestigious AAU (Association of American Universities) and is currently celebrating its 50^th anniversary.

With that in mind, Hyperice and UCI’s aspirations towards esports and athletic wellness, alongside a significant focus on innovation, will assuredly produce the desired results.

As for the actual scholarship, Hyperice has announced this is set to be the first esports-based scholarships for non-players. Yep, this is not your typical esports scholarship. Instead, Hyperice and UCI are determined to create gamer specific sports medicine content, educational workshops, protocols, and a fully-fledged sports medicine curriculum, all of which will be designed to enhance the playing conditions, optimize performance and enhance the longevity of esports athletes.

As we all know, esports might not be physically demanding in the same way as traditional sports, but the psychological aspect is definitely present. Rigorous training, boot camps, pre-tourney preparations, and constant jet lag are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the everyday life of an esports athlete.

In order to keep playing at the highest level, professional esports athletes need to be mentally and physically fit all the time. However, most teams (and players) don’t prioritize health at the level of traditional athletes, and that’s precisely where Hyperice plans to step in.

By creating the optimal wellness environment for esports players to warm up, rehabilitate and recover in, Hyperice and UCI aim to create a brand-new niche in the esports industry. A niche that could potentially revolutionize the professional scene and bring competitions to a whole new level. Fingers crossed this partnership program starts off on the right foot and continues to produce innovative technology that will benefit everyone involved.