ESM 3050 - INTRODUCTION TO ESPORTS MANAGEMENT

credits: 3.0
Esports is one of the fastest growing industries, attracting 450 million viewers and generating over $1bn in revenue in 2020. This course will introduce you to the history of competitive gaming and will explore its ecosystem. You will learn to navigate Esports leagues, teams, players, publishers, tournament operators, media and affiliate organizations. Furthermore, you’ll get firsthand experience in analyzing the space. This online course has optional live sessions.

Course Topics:
History and culture of esports: How do esports fall into the context of video games and the rise of the Internet? What place in our society, particularly during this tumultuous time, do esports hold?
Team & League Management: What role do a team or league manager play?  What is the relationship between players and developers?
Obstacles to esports growth: How do international policies affect the global competitive community? Are esports at the peak of being a fad? Objectives: A) This course introduces students to the Esports industry, specifically focused on managing professional and amateur esports teams and leagues; B) Create plans for developing strong relationships between different stakeholders within the esports world that help optimize strategies for success; C) Design esports programs (teams, leagues, events) that optimize for continued success using technical, social, industry best practices. Method of Evaluation: Onboarding Assignments 50 5%, Discussions 200: (5x40) 20%, Assignments 250: (5x50) 25%, Midterm Project 100 10%, Final Project 400 40%.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 2240