University of Utah Forms First Varsity Video Game Program in the Power Five Conferences
Time to dust the Cheeto dust off of your gaming keyboard and mouse, it looks like your gaming skills could get you in to the Pac 12. The University of Utah is the first school in the Power Five Conferences to offer a varsity level Esports program.
Before you laugh, just know that competitive gaming is a booming business. In past years, professional gamers in other parts of the world have been raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in winnings, lucrative endorsements, and boatloads of fame and adoration. Check out the crowd of people that came to watch other people play video games.
Now, not only has that love spread globally - but the winnings are in the millions of dollars now! According to esportsratings.com, the top earner is Saahil Arora (known online in DOTA as UNiVeRsE) has earned $2,727,796.47 since 2011.
I hope this spreads to LSU or BPCC very soon. I'd love to tell my mom that I wasn't wasting time all of those years, I was training.
If you are looking to become a Utah Ute via the old electronic violence box, get to cracking on League of Legends. This is the first game U of U will break out for the program. No word on cheerleaders, letter jackets, or mascots at the tournaments just yet. The nachos from the concession stands are pretty good though.