E-athletes Compete at the College and Professional Levels
By Nick Cavenas
Lately the growth of e-sports has been skyrocketing. E-sports, which are organized multiplayer video game competitions, have become very popular in the U.S. as well as in many other countries.
E-sports athletes (also known as gamers) take gaming to another level while playing in tournaments online or on LANs (Local Area Networks) for money—making e-sports very competitive. A LAN party is when gamers with computers or compatible game consoles establish a local area network.
Gamers around the world have carved successful careers in e-sports, making big money from tournament prizes and in competitions that are live-streamed online.
‘Mystik’ is one of the highest paid e-athletes.
Professional e-sports athletes are known by their “gamer tags,” fictitious names used online. Some of the most famous professional video game players like ‘Nadeshot’ (Matt Haag), ‘Scumpi’ (Seth Abner) and ‘Mystik’ (Katherine Gunn) play games such as Call of Duty, League of Legends and Defense of the Ancients. For many people this is a dream job considering it is fun, profitable, and there is plenty of fame that comes with it. Major brands like Red Bull and Coke Zero sponsor teams and tournaments.
Several colleges and universities have started e-sports programs, and even offer scholarships to attract players. According to a December 4th article titled “E-Sports at College, With Stars and Scholarships,” in The NY Times: “The athletic department of Robert Morris University Illinois in Chicago created an official video game team this fall, offering the same sort of scholarships given to athletes playing soccer, football and ice hockey.”
The idea of playing video games as a career may shock some people, but it is quite a reality. The steady income, fun, and competitiveness of e-sports attract more and more players every day, making it trendy and popular.
The recent creation of college-level teams and the availability of scholarships make it more of a viable choice for young people who may not fit the mold of the traditional athlete