From Pong and Mario Brothers to today’s high-level titles, video gaming has turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. Part of that is due to the growing popularity of esports.
A recent report from Research and Markets (www.ResearchAndMarkets.com) found that esports is a fast-growing sector within the entertainment industry. The U.S. market size is currently $2.55 billion. It is projected to grow to $18.85 billion by 2035.
“The gaming industry in general makes more money than the music industry and the film industry combined every year, eSports is just one part of that,” Noah Bowers, Esports Coordinator in the Augusta University Department of Campus Recreation, explained for ABD.
While esports conjure up images of individuals playing online and digital games, Bowers said there are also competitions that are not game-based.
“There are some esports that are not technically video games, but they’re more like digital competitions,” he explained. “Most recently, there was a collegiate Microsoft Excel, like esports, which is not a video game, but they were able to create some type of gamified point system to see who would be the most efficient at sorting through a spreadsheet. Not my cup of tea, not my interest, but that is esports. It’s competing versus either another individual or another team.”
Which leads to the question: Can esports be a career path?
Bowers said that, more than a decade ago, players could generally get $5,000 for winning a competition.
“That was the pinnacle. Now that’s chump change compared to what the actual professionals are making nowadays,” he said. “They are getting six-figure salaries, full benefits. There are contracts, sponsorships, exclusive commercials, and marketing rights. It has turned completely to the professional side of things, very similar to collegiate athletics or professional sports like the NFL, NBA, and MLB.”
He said there are entrepreneurs developing programs, trying to attract venture capitalists to get their brands out to the public, or to merge with an existing company. He cautions that the industry is still very young and very volatile, particularly on the professional side. But competition is fierce, and players need highly developed skills.
However, participating in esports can help players develop skills attractive to mainstream employers.
The Research and Markets report found that esports can foster skills like teamwork and strategic thinking. It also encourages social interaction and community development, all skills a majority of employers say they need job seekers to have.
“In my opinion, it probably sets you up for success in a lot of different industries, better than like regular sports would,” said Bowers. “You’re training every day. You’re understanding all the different mechanics and variables that can happen in every different type of permutation, but you’re also working on that communication, troubleshooting, networking, team building, and marketing components.”
Bowers points to the makeup of the AU esports team, which competes in a specially built arena inside theClubhou.se at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Technology Center. He has team members in medical fields, including biology and kinesiology, arts and humanities, as well as computer science and cyber.
“We’re currently offering an Esports Business Management course this summer by one of our doctors in the Kinesiology major program, and that’s because we have a new sports management degree,” Bowers said. “We also have an Esports production class in our communication schools. That’s in the Pamplin College. So, already you’re seeing different classes being offered by two completely different schools here at Augusta University.”
Esports at AU is gearing up for the start of the Fall 2025 semester in early September. Bowers said, in addition to teams with returning members, he is recruiting new players. AU Esports currently offers a varsity and junior varsity team roster. Official tryouts for new members will begin in August.
For more information about the AU Esports Team and upcoming tryouts, go to
www.augusta.edu/campus-recreation/esports.php
