logo
  • Nonprofit News
  • Management
    • Boards and Governance
    • Communication
      • Framing & Narratives
    • Ethics
    • Financial Management
    • Grassroots Fundraising Journal
    • Leadership
    • Technology
  • Philanthropy
    • Corporate Social Responsibility
    • Donor-Advised Funds
    • Foundations
    • Impact Investing
    • Research
    • Workplace Giving
  • Policy
    • Education
    • Healthcare
    • Housing
    • Government
    • Taxes
  • Economic Justice
    • About
    • Economy Remix
    • Economy Webinars
    • Community Benefits
    • Economic Democracy
    • Environmental Justice
    • Fair Finance
    • Housing Rights
    • Land Justice
    • Poor People’s Rights
    • Tax Fairness
  • Racial Equity
  • Social Movements
    • Community Development
    • Community Organizing
    • Culture Change
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Gender Equality
    • Immigrant Rights
    • Indigenous Rights
    • Labor
    • LGBTQ+
    • Racial Justice
    • Youth Activism
  • About Us
  • Log in
  • CONTENT TYPES
  • Featured Articles
  • Webinars
    • Free Webinars
    • Premium On-Demand Webinars
  • Tiny Spark Podcast
  • Magazine
    • Magazine
    • Leading Edge Membership
Donate
Colleges & Universities, Management, Ohio

eGaming as College Sport?

Marian Conway
August 22, 2018
Share3
Email
Tweet
Share
“eSports,” Sam Churchill

August 16, 2018; Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) and Chronicle of Higher Education

eSports are drawing a great deal of attention and no small amount of money. The players don’t wear shoulder pads or special running shoes; they don’t even have to leave their chairs. But it appears a few colleges will drop some cash on the buildings that hold those chairs as their latest fundraising project.

The University of Akron is renovating rooms in the student union, the honors college— and, in a move of obvious irony, the football stadium—for about $750,000. Alex Knisely, a spokesman for the school, said in an email to the Chronicle of Higher Education that they are working on sponsorships to cover the refurbishing costs. It will take $400,000 to maintain the eSports teams; there are game licenses for $70,000, facility upkeep, and the usual overhead of marketing and travel. And, although there is no need for a field to run on, there are salaries for coaches, coordinators, team managers, and, yes, potential scholarships for players, that have to be covered.

Seventy-eight colleges are now fielding eSports competitive teams, from Boise State University to SUNY Canton. The University of Akron says the new centers would have “the largest amount of dedicated eSports space of any university in the world to date.”

Five inaugural varsity teams will compete this fall in the video games Overwatch, League of Legends, Hearthstone, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Rocket League. The games explore themes of fantasy and horror; thwarting insidious terrorist plots; and soccer with rocket-powered cars.

In the meantime, the university is phasing out about 20 percent of its degree programs to release approximately $6 million for reallocation. All 10 Ph.D., 33 Master’s, 20 Bachelor’s, and 17 Associates programs will be terminated according to a statement from the Board of Trustees. The school cites low enrollment in some and duplication in other colleges.

The statement went on to say that the school will not be terminating faculty or staff and, in fact, plans to hire 31 full-time teachers.

The University of Akron has attempted to change the school’s direction before. The president in 2015, Scott L. Scarborough, attempted to rebrand it as the state’s “Polytechnic University” to meet the needs of technological jobs. To answer declining enrollment, he also wanted to expand nursing courses and online courses. It failed; the rebranding prompted a petition of more than 10,000 signatures, the faculty voted several times with “no confidence” statements, and, after only two years, the president resigned.

Ohio Department of Higher Education’s chancellor, John Carey, believes at this time the cuts will strengthen the remaining programs. It remains to be seen if gaming competitions as a sport will be able to raise funds as football does, and if it will help to strengthen the university.—Marian Conway

Share3
Email
Tweet
Share

About The Author
Marian Conway

Marian Conway, the executive director of the NY Community Bank Foundation, has a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies, Writing and a Ph.D. in Public Policy, Nonprofit Management. She has discovered that her job and education have made her a popular person with nonprofits and a prime candidate for their boards. Marian keeps things in perspective, not allowing all that to go to her head, but it is difficult to say no to a challenge, especially participating in change, in remaking a board. She is currently on eleven boards of various sizes and has learned to say no.

Related
Is Marquette University “Rightsizing” or Taking a Wrong Turn?
By Rob Meiksins
December 7, 2020
Governors Urge High Caution for Students Headed Home and Their Families
By Marian Conway
November 24, 2020
With COVID Surge Comes New Wave of University Shutdowns
By Steve Dubb
November 18, 2020
Penn’s Pittance is Useful, Overdue, and Vastly Insufficient
By Ruth McCambridge
November 18, 2020
Some See Record Fundraising in FY 2020: What’s the Key?
By Ruth McCambridge
October 21, 2020
The Loss of College Sports Teams: Pandemic Shapeshifting
By Ruth McCambridge
October 13, 2020

Upcoming Webinars

Group Created with Sketch.
January 21, 2 pm ET

Remaking the Economy

Health, Racial Disparities, and Economic Justice

other posts by The Author
Pandemic Adds One More Obstacle to Nonprofit Student Loan...
By Marian Conway
December 14, 2020
The Fossil Fuel Industry Is Losing Power
By Marian Conway
December 10, 2020
As the NRA Turns: The Latest Episode
By Marian Conway
December 4, 2020
CYNDI SUAREZ
The Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap: Flipping the Lens
Powerful Interests Seek to Make Puerto Rico the Hong Kong of the...
Moving Beyond the Privilege of White Tears
logo
Donate
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletters
  • Write for NPQ
  • Advertise
  • Writers
  • Funders
  • Copyright Policy
  • Privacy Policy
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 20-4080038

Subscribe to View Webinars