Looking to work alongside an already booming gaming industry located in Chicago, North Park University (North Park) is excited to add Esports as the institution’s first coed and 19th overall sport. Recruiting for incoming student-athletes will begin immediately, with competition to start fall of 2023.
“We are excited to add Esports to the athletic department,” said John Born, North Park Assistant Vice President, Director of Athletics. “It is a great opportunity to meet current demand and add to the diversity of the institution. The combination of an emerging sport and the resources of Chicago is a definite win-win scenario.”
Esports, a form of competitive, organized video gaming, is most often used in a “multiplayer” setting. As a fan-friendly sport when it comes to viewership and streaming, Esports is expected to net 29.6 million monthly viewers this year, up 11.5% from 2021, according to estimates done by Insider Intelligence.
Chicago has been a hotspot for Esports for many years, and North Park is well-situated with its Chicago campus to be in the epicenter of this growing sport. The League Championship Series for high-level League of Legends players will take place at the United Center September 10–11. Additionally, Chicago’s City Council approved a $30 million dollar arena, “Surge” Esports Stadium, to be built in Bronzeville. Investments like these will provide North Park students ample opportunity to expand their abilities and pursue longer-term career options in the field.
Though exploding in popularity, including the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has not officially sponsored Esports for intercollegiate competition. However, North Park will join the National Association of College Esports, the largest member association of college and university-sponsored Esports programs that promote student education and development through intercollegiate Esports.
“Meeting students where they are at is what we aim to do at North Park, and offering Esports as an official varsity program is no exception. As a university, we are fortunate to have the resources to have this dream come to fruition. This is a great day for North Park.”
For questions about the program, contact Peter Casella, Director of Esports.