Marcus RichardsCompetitive video gaming, or esports as it’s popularly known, is a sector that has gone beyond being viewed as an activity for gaming amateurs. It has grown to become a multi-billion-dollar sector in ten years. Today, esports athletes are receiving increased attention, with the focus on them now rivaling that of athletes in conventional sports.
Moreover, the esports industry doesn’t seem to experience reduced growth. Statisticians predict the sector’s value will increase in years to come. Esports is so popular that the CSGO betting markets are increasingly bringing a substantial percentage of the revenue earned in the gambling industry.
The expansion of the esports industry has also spurred the creation of jobs numbering hundreds, thereby boosting the economy. Contrary to popular opinion, gamers and coaches aren’t the only ones benefiting from the expansion of esports. Several high schools and colleges have begun to launch esports programs to diversify the possible career paths of students.
Understanding the Esports Programs in Schools
An esports program is no different from the conventional athletics program you’d spot at a high school or a university. To understand it, you must replace traditional sports with competitive video gaming. Varsity esports has been described as the key teams representing a university.
These teams go up against other teams across different universities on the same level. This is no different from the esports teams found in high schools. Nevertheless, the fact remains that esports programs provide monetary and mental advantages to educational institutions.
Like conventional athletics programs, high schools, colleges, and universities need funding to seamlessly back their esports talents. For any esports team to thrive and have a chance at beating other schools, they need to get bolstered with a decent budget.
You must equip a facility with the required gaming gear like upgraded gaming computers, live streaming kits, and gaming chairs. The financing received by high schools and universities for esports teams can also support the salaries of the coaching and support staff.
How to Get Financing to Support an Esports Program
Financing can be obtained from numerous avenues to run an educational institution’s esports program. You can begin by lobbying the school’s stakeholders to place funds in your esports program. Nevertheless, additional options can help bolster your capital and expenditure associated with your proposed esports program.
Solicit Funding from the Locals
Fundraising is a great way of securing funding for your program while raising awareness about its existence. The tried and tested ways to solicit funding from the locals include car washes and raffles. By doing this, you can get a lot of financing to run your e-gaming program effectively.
Also, you could look up to local ventures to financially support your esports program. There’s a good probability that some of the local firms in your area are sponsors for sports teams. Suppose the owners or managers of these ventures are alumni of your school. In that case, it becomes even easier to secure a higher level of funding. If these entrepreneurs are parents with children currently in or have graduated from your school, getting funds for your esports program should be easier.
Apply for Financial Aid
There’s a chance that your local government might be offering grants to support local activities like a high school’s or college’s esports program. You need to search for these possibilities and apply for the financial aid that your program qualifies for. There are also esports foundations that support schools in low-income regions. You can seek them out to secure financing for your program.
Monetization
As your esports program grows, your monetization sources will also grow. An esports team will likely have a fan base that’ll allow new funding sources to spring up, especially if they’re good enough to play at the state or national level.
For one, the team can secure finances by selling merchandise or getting big followership from a YouTube channel. Some corporate firms could even decide to strike sponsorship deals with your team. There’s a good chance you could negotiate a percentage of the broadcast rights to secure revenue.
Conclusion
In recent years, esports has exploded to become an industry pulling in billions of dollars and creating job opportunities for the labor force. Moreover, the industry is still growing in revenue and value added to viewers.
Esports programs are needed in high schools and universities to boost the skill level of talented gamers. These programs need financing to keep up with the trends in the industry and give students a fair chance of winning competitions. You can secure financing for your esports program by seeking local support and financial aid and leveraging your team’s popularity.
