INDIANAPOLIS — More young people are choosing to pursue a career in ESports, known as competitive video games, and more schools are investing in its future.
And unlike what your parents told you when you were a kid, you can make money playing video games.
“Just like our traditional teams compete in things like basketball and tennis, we compete in various video game titles like League of Legends and Rocket League,” Nathan Duke said.
Duke is a professor and manager of esports programs and facility operations at Butler University.
Butler’s program started in 2017 and is offered to students as minors.
Sports Tech HQ is a local non-profit organization that just started partnering with Butler’s Esports Park. Their goal is to build Indiana’s brand as a destination for sports technology while stimulating and promoting innovation.
Sports Tech HQ wants to create an elite talent pipeline. As in any college sport, players compete against other schools.
“Who doesn’t want anything to do with video games? I’m literally living my childhood dreams.
Blacha is Butler’s junior and ESports minor.
“It is our production that brings entertainment value and is able to get the viewership that a normal sport has. You have to do something,” Blacha said. He said.
Blacha plays NBC 2K. As an e-athlete, he says he doesn’t have to deal with the vertical challenges the sport requires.
“I love basketball, I love watching basketball, but I can’t play it,” Bracha said.
Blacha makes good money playing video games. This needs to happen to convince his mother that it is a sustainable way of life.
“I won some bets and won money. She said I could make money with this,” Bracha said.
To make money, gamers basically place bets as they play. Sponsorships and merchandise come into play when you’re really good like a professional athlete.
WRTV/Dave Franklin
Turning childhood dreams into reality is what Butler is trying to achieve.
“To be able to see the opportunities and doors we can open to help these students gain hands-on experience, and to have partners who want to work with us in that area, is very It makes sense, it just means everything,” Duke said.
Butler will host the Big East Esports Championship in March.
Esports is just a minor in college at this point.
Sports Tech HQ’s presence at Butler’s Esports Park includes co-working spaces and collaborations
According to the National Association of Collegiate Esports, there are over 170 schools with over 5,000 student e-athletes.
RELATED: Partnership to connect veterans to esports at Butler University
