The University of Arizona launched its esports team in March. According to UA News, Arizona Esports leaders expect competition against teams across the nation and other universities to begin sometime in the fall.
“Arizona Esports reflects the university’s commitment to support student interest in areas of opportunity,” President Robert C. Robbins told UA News. “Not only are esports part of an established and growing industry, like traditional sports esports provide avenues to build community, develop critical skills and gain valuable experiences these students will draw upon for the rest of their lives. I am excited to see this program get off the ground and proud of the student leaders who have helped create it.”
Walter Ries, the program’s interim director and a principal information technology manager for University Information Technology Services, said that the idea grew during the pandemic. Ries worked with the student club leadership, faculty, staff, and university senior leadership to craft a formal proposal.
The Arizona Esports program will build on a community of more than 1,700 esports enthusiasts at the university. A campus club called Esports and Gaming at the University of Arizona has about 100 tournament players across 14 teams for different video games, said club president Liam Koenneker, who is also involved in helping establish the new program.
“We see the program as being very comprehensive,” Ries said. “It’s not just a new sports team; it actually has very strong ties to the academics, and one of the things I want to see is a lot of student engagement.”
There are plans to provide students with paid opportunities that provide relevant industry experience in event management, coaching, and production, Ries added.
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