Community college exploring esports programs

Cleveland Community College is expanding its sports programs once again, this time in the digital sense.

This fall, the college will take its first steps towards a collegiate esports program.

“That’s a gaming, video game competition," said Chris Nanney, athletic director at Cleveland Community College. "It will not start out under the direction of athletics, will be a club sport, under SGA. The hope is that if we have enough interest and it takes off then potentially in the spring or the following year it may become an official sport under the athletic department."

Over the last several years, esports have grown as a legitimate contender in the world of sports. According to Insider Intelligence, a market based research company, estimates there will be 29.6 million monthly esports viewers in the United States this year.

Some of those viewers include traditional sports figures like Michael Jordan, Odell Beckham Jr. and Steph Curry, who have invested in nationally and internationally known esports franchises in recent years.

"I do think it is a big opportunity to have something more for students on campus. I think there is a need for esports. It is huge. There are national and international teams at the moment," said Derek Ramsey, the faculty advisor for the esports club at the college. “It is definitely something we can get for our student body that gives them something to be a part of.”

The national National Junior College Athletic Association, the governing body for teams at Cleveland Community College, has an esports arm which includes more than 100 teams across the country. Teams compete in a number of popular video games including team-based first-person shooters "Rainbow Six: Siege," "Valorant" and "Overwatch."

The organization also supports "Rocket League," a team-based game of soccer played using player controlled cars, as well as individual sports titles "FIFA 21," "Madden 21," the popular fighting game "Super Smash Bros." and the online collectible card game "Hearthstone."

“We are trying to see which of the games that are under that NJCAA umbrella are the most desired by our particular student body," said Ramsey. "There is still some research going on. With the baseball team it is pretty obvious you are going to get baseball players, same with the softball team or cross country. With esports you are kind of casting a bigger net, so we are trying to determine what the interests are of our community.”

The college has been discussing moving into esports for a little over a year, Ramsey said.

“We are still really in the infant stages,” he said. “It is is a good opportunity for our students. Ever since scuttlebutt has gotten around campus, we have started to hear more interest in students being excited about esports.”

Cleveland Community College will not be the only local school to offer esports programming. UNC Charlotte, Gaston College and Limestone College already have esports programs on their campuses.

Dustin George can be reached at 704-669-3337 or Dustin.George@ShelbyStar.com.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Cleveland Community College to launch esports programs