Video Game Concentration Offered At West Hartford College

WEST HARTFORD, CT — In a classic example of how technology has impacted career options, a West Hartford-based college announced Wednesday it is teaching students how to make a living playing video games.

This morning, the University of Saint Joseph announced it will offer a concentration in "Esports management" as part of its bachelor of science in sports management and promotion degree, beginning in the fall of 2024.

Electronic sports are a huge sector in the video game market, with popular games like Madden Football, FIFA (soccer), NBA2K (basketball), and MLB The Show (baseball) not only dominating the spare times of young people, lucrative competitions are making it a career option.

Countless YouTube channels are dedicated to esports content providers and, in 2020 during the pandemic, FOX television broadcast iRacing events as NASCAR races went virtual.

Simply put, we're not talking about Pong, Space Invaders or Pac Man.

Which is where USJ comes in.

University officials said in a statement that the concentration comes in recognition of "the significance of competitive gaming and responding to the changing interests of current and prospective students."

“There is a diverse range of career opportunities in the esports field, including game development, event management, and marketing,” said USJ Assistant Professor of Business Administration Janet Howes. “USJ strives to provide a comprehensive education that covers a diverse skill set to prepare students for the various roles they could pursue.”

According to USJ, Influencer Marketing Hub predicts esports revenue in the U.S. will reach $72 billion by 2027.

“Esports has grown from a casual hobby to an organized professional sport with a tremendous increase in employment opportunities,” said USJ President Dr. Rhona Free. “This new program will graduate students ready to manage esports tournaments and teams, promote events, and engage with trade groups and regulatory bodies.”

For more information on the new USJ program, click on this link.