By Jake Cohen
June 7, 2021
Photo Credit: University of Michigan Rec Sports
Esports, short for electronic sports, is one of the fastest growing industries in sports with a 2021 projected revenue of $1.08 billion.
Now, it’s coming to the University of Michigan.
Bobby Kotick, CEO of video game company Activision Blizzard, recently donated $4 million dollars to the university to implement a minor in Esports within the School of Information. The program, set to launch in the 2022 academic year, will concentrate on coursework related to user experiences, online communities, sport economics, and data analytics. This announcement comes only two years after Michigan’s recreational sports department launched a competitive Esports program.
The student organization meets in the Ross School of Business and each member is required to bring their own equipment.
Students who partake in Esports typically reserve rooms around campus to play, but the potential for Esport players to consolidate and compete against other students or even schools is untapped. More information about the student organization and
potentially joining can be found here: https://recsports.umich.edu/esports/
There are multiple Esports leagues and conferences throughout universities around the country. The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) maintains a membership of 175 colleges and universities around the U.S. The state of Michigan entertains four participants: Northwestern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, Michigan Technological University, and the University of Michigan Flint campus.