Edinboro Univ. expands athletic offerings — into eSports

Edinboro University is making a push into collegiate sports — eSports, that is.

Don’t expect to see any sprawling new outdoor stadium, artificial turf or giant light towers with this athletics expansion.

Do expect to see uniforms — Tshirts, at least.

And, yes, there will be an indoor venue where these varsity video gamers will compete in front of their computers, separated by glass from an audience attending team practices. Matches themselves will be streamed.

Any network TV contract?

“Not yet,” quipped Chris Rhodes, named to the newly created position of eSports director at Edinboro. “Although, hey, we’re looking for sponsors.”

Edinboro is known for academic studies in game design, animation and virtual-world development. So its leaders say a tie-in with a sport that is exploding in popularity among teens and young adults will give the campus an added recruiting edge.

Like most of Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities, Edinboro has been forced to re-examine offerings and pursue new student markets because of population loss

and enrollment declines.

“I think it puts us at the forefront. This is an up-andcoming global sport,’’ said Mr. Rhodes, 45, who is also campus swim coach. “It really shows that although we went through a transition, we’re coming out of it, and we’re looking to the future.”

The new varsity program, with men’s and women’s teams, will be a member of the National Association of Collegiate eSports, or NACE. Players will compete in such games as “Fortnite,” “League of Legends,” “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” and “Hearthstone.”

Edinboro, with 5,600 students, joins fewer than 100 eSports programs nationally and is the first in Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Rhodes said. Others in Pennsylvania include Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Lebanon Valley College, Lackawanna College, Albright College and Juniata College, he said.

The Fighting Scots — yes, they will do their gaming under the school’s nickname — will compete in Edinboro’s red-and-white colors.

“We’ll accent it with neon green,” Mr. Rhodes said.

Planning for the campus venue is underway.

“What our thought is, it will have about 20 to 25 stateof-the-art computers with high-back gaming chairs and good lighting,” he said. “We are also going to put up some monitors — 65-inch screens.”

Streaming could put the matches before crowds in Edinboro’s student center, McComb Field House and other venues, Mr. Rhodes said.

Having a virtual sport means no need to worry much about a travel budget, Mr. Rhodes said. “We can be on our campus. They can be on theirs, and we can battle it out that way.”

Edinboro says it aspires to become an eSports powerhouse, and in announcing the program Monday, officials said they want to hold “competitions against some of the top gamers in the world.”

And since the sport is not part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Edinboro can accept professional gamers as long as they are enrolled as a student in good standing, Mr. Rhodes said.

But Edinboro says it has no interest, just the same, in recruiting virtual bruisers who aren’t looking to see the inside of a classroom.

“If somebody thinks they are just going to come and play games and not attend class, that’s not going to happen,” Mr. Rhodes said.

Students are eligible from any major but must possess standard academic requirements: At least a 2.0, 24 academic credits earned in a year, and be on course to graduate, he said.

“Team members will need to meet the same academic eligibility and related requirements as every other student-athlete at the university,” according to Monday’s announcement. “Tryouts are open to firsttime, first-year and currently enrolled Edinboro students.”

The National Association of Collegiate eSports formed in July 2016 at a time when just seven colleges and universities had varsity eSports programs. Its website says there are now more than 80 member programs.

There are 1,500 student gamers in those programs. Some $9 million in eSports scholarships and aid are available nationally.

Mr. Rhodes said there are early signs that interest is strong. “Within six minutes of our announcement, I had two people inquire, and we’ve now had 12 people email us,” he said. “That’s crazy.”