Who is the New USV Dragons Head Coach?
University of Silicon Valley is excited to welcome Alex Holler as the coach for the USV Dragons. Alex has a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring to the Dragons as they begin their next season competing in Overwatch and League of Legends.
“I am very excited to contribute to the University of Silicon Valley esports program,” said Holler. “I am honored to be a pioneer in this area. I hope to work with other schools to build out the community together.”
Esports is a great way for students to not only compete, but to build skills learn concepts in marketing, production, coaching, and game design & development.
USV offers scholarships up to $2,000 per term for players in both Overwatch and League of Legends, for those who qualify.
University of Silicon Valley Dragons in action!
Esports (also known as electronic sports, e-sports, or eSports) is a form of competition using video games. Most commonly, esports takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams.
Although organized online and offline competitions have long been a part of video game culture, these were largely between amateurs until the late 2000s, when participation by professional gamers and spectatorship in these events through live streaming saw a large surge in popularity. By the 2010s, esports was a significant factor in the video game industry, with many game developers actively designing toward a professional esports subculture.
Player vs. Player (PvP)
Player vs. Player: These are games (or portions of games) in which one or more human players face off against one or more other human players. The most popular of these are traditional sports games and fighting games.
First Person Shooter (FPS)
This term refers to the genre of game in which you see the world through the eyes of your character. They commonly show a weapon floating around in front of you along with a mini-map of the level you’re playing, how much health you have, and your ammo/armor count.
Real-time Strategy (RTS)
This is a game that is on-going in a defined map/level where you are competing, usually against one other opponent. Usually, each player starts out with an equal amount of support/gear/weapons/warriors, and it’s each player’s role to strategize the best way to grow their army and defend their base while also plotting how to attack and take over their opponents base.
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA)
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (or Action Real Time Strategy). This is an offshoot of an RTS, or better yet, an RTS on steroids. It involves more players working as a team in a defined world/map/level. Remember, RTS’s are generally one player versus one player, while MOBA is multiple players on each team.
Top 5 Most Anticipated Esports Events for 2019 3
· 2019 Fortnite World Cup ($100 million prize money)
· League of Legends World Championship
· The International
· Call of Duty World League
· IEM Katowice
The training that the players must undergo to prepare for tournaments is different than traditional sports, but still takes a tremendous amount of time. Esports athletes’ training is much more based on training the mind, such as studying strategies and new updates for the game. Many professional League of Legends teams practice for a minimum of 50 hours per week, and most play the game far more.
This training schedule for players has resulted in many of them retiring an early age. Few careers burn as intensely—and as briefly—as that of an esports professional. Players are generally in competition by their mid- to late teens, and most are retired by their mid-20s. Some esports teams have been following traditional sports training methods such as regular gym visits, sessions with a coach, and following a special diet.
Players on the New England Patriots took home $107,000 each for winning Super Bowl LI. That’s chump change to the esports world. Top Esports players have made in the millions of dollars in winnings- the top earner is currently Kuro Takhasomi, who has won more than 4.1 million dollars playing Dota 2.
Did you know that the global esports market size was $906 million in 2018 and is forecasted to reach $1.65 billion by 2020?
Esports is no longer just a leisure activity for people. Esports players make millions of dollars by competing in eSports tournaments and streaming their performances on YouTube and Twitch. The industry has become mainstream, with several large companies getting involved in esports events.
Who else is getting involved? 6
Unsurprisingly, with its rapid growth, and the vast amounts of money and exposure at stake, Esports has attracted a great amount of interest from investors who want to get in on the action.
Even before this year, several big names were already investing in esports companies and teams, including celebrities and athletes from traditional sports. Among them: Mark Cuban, NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, former MLB star Alex Rodriguez, high-profile NFL owners Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones, and celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, Tony Robbins, and Jennifer Lopez.
In April 2017, 42% of the gaming market belongs to the mobile industry, and mobile is projected to claim more than 50% of the market by 2020. The esports industry is expanding beyond PC and console, as developer Super Evil Megacorp created Vainglory, the first mobile multiplayer online battle arena game,[13] and companies like Skillz bring esports tournaments to mobile games.
In 2019, it is estimated that 427 million people worldwide will be watching some form of esports. The increasing availability of online streaming media platforms, particularly Panda.tv, YouTube, and Twitch have become central to the growth and promotion of esports competitions. Demographically, Major League Gaming has reported viewership that is approximately 85% male and 15% female, with a majority of viewers between the ages of 18 and 34. Despite this, several female personalities within esports are hopeful about the increasing presence of female gamers.
The esports industry is on pace to bring in more than $900 million in revenue this year, and that number could reach as high as $2.4 billion by 2020, according to gaming research firm Newzoo. Competitive gaming has taken such a leap into the mainstream in recent years that even Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs is following the industry’s growth, with the firm recently predicting that, by 2022, the audience for esports will grow to 276 million people, putting it on par with the most popular traditional sports, including the NFL.
Where Does the Next Gen of Esports Athletes come from? 9
The High School esports League is an organized high school level esports league, that provide a comfortable environment with healthy competition. They believe that esports should be available to every student as a legitimate varsity level sport in high schools across the nation. They aim to connect high school gamers and clubs across the country, expanding the world of high school esports.
See some of the esports High School leagues:
HIGH SCHOOL ESPORTS LEAGUE (HSEL)
https://www.highschoolesportsleague.com
HIGH SCHOOL STARLEAGUE
http://hsstarleague.com/
YOUTH ESPORTS OF AMERICA
https://www.youthesportsamerica.com/
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS (NFHS)
http://www.nfhs.org/sports-resource-content/esports/
PLAYVS
https://www.playvs.com/
About University of Silicon Valley
Founded in 1887, University of Silicon Valley (USV) has taken a hands-on, interdisciplinary approach to the learning space for over 130 years. USV prepares students for success in the creative-technology industries by providing an extraordinary, real-world education inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of our Silicon Valley location. USV is regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Visit usv.celsiusmarketing.net to learn more about our award-winning programs. For more information regarding completion rates, the median loan debt of students who completed each program, and other important information, please see visit our website at usv.celsiusmarketing.net/disclosures.
Sources:
1 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esports#cite_note-130
2 – https://discoveresports.com/what-are-the-game-types/
3 – https://influencermarketinghub.com/top-10-esports-events-2019/
4 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esports#cite_note-130
7 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esports#cite_note-13
9 – https://www.highschoolesportsleague.com/
