Ready player one?
The Northeast State Bears Esports (or electronic sports) team will be in 2022. The College’s new esports team starts the first intercollegiate league gaming competition next year. This exciting new gaming program pits teams against one another in virtual battles ranging from motorsports and soccer to zombie survival and combat.
“We had the idea to do an Esports team before COVID hit, and that made it impossible at the time,” said Chris Demas, the team’s head coach and dean of Wayne G. Basler Library. “It is about creating an environment to enjoy this team-based experience and build a fan base of students; we want to compete and win.”
The Northeast State Bears Esports team recruits student gamers to compete at the highest levels of Esports competition and represent the College. The new program aims to recruit eight Northeast State students who are skilled gamers. Demas explained the eight-member team roster allowed players to focus on multiple games. Students selected to the roster can migrate their existing gamer streams and identities to the Northeast State Bears team.
“We want to recruit students who are already gamers and help them develop their own individual brand,” said Demas. “Most gamers are streaming and gathering followers that watch their streams, and we hope we can help them with that.”
The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) operates as the largest member association of varsity esports programs at colleges and universities in the nation. Established in 2016, NACE reps more than 170 member schools and 5,000 student-athletes playing collegiate esports. Teams fielded at nearby institutions include East Tennessee State University, King University, Milligan University, and Mars Hill University among others.
The esports world unites team competition and individual players seeking to make a name in the global esports community. The Northeast State team will face off against esports teams of regional and national institutions. Demas said the team expected to join the established gaming leagues of Rocket League, League of Legends, Counterstrike, and Valorant.
The E-Bears take the field in the soon-to-be completed gaming space in Wayne G. Basler Library on the Blountville campus. The space includes a hub referred to as a “shoutcast” station. The shoutcast option enables coaches to livestream game competitions as well as team players on the field.
“Esports is more than just gaming,” said Demas. “It includes producing video content and brand creation for our players.”
Competitive collegiate esports leagues features a variety of games. These designated leagues welcome teams from two- and four-year institutions. Once games are scheduled the E-Bears schedule competitions against other institutions. Those competitions stream live to the Twitch platform – THE video game mecca for streaming – and the College’s Youtube channel.
The E-Bears team engages spectators via Twitch or other platform to watch their games like traditional sports. Spectators get a first-person view of what the gamer sees in the field. Two huddle cams stream video of the players competing and the game screens. Demas said competitions would be streamed live on the College campus video channel viewable at all Northeast State campuses.
“We are going to do family nights where we invite everyone in to meet the players and watch the games live on campus,” said Demas.
Demas noted teaching gaming skills was not a goal of the program. He said the program sought to refine individual gaming skills and help players function as a team in a competitive environment. Team members should be seasoned gamers with leveled-up skills and known commodities on the game stream world.
“We want people to have experience in the aforementioned games, and experience streaming and promoting themselves on Twitch,” said Demas. “We also want people who are team players.”
Demas foresees high-performing esports team members taking their talents to four-year universities and their esports teams. The coaching staff recruit students, develop the program, schedule events, and organize practice sessions. Joining him on the esports staff are assistant coaches Brandon Burleson, media services technician, and Mark Beaty, director of Student Life at Northeast State.
Team members get official Northeast State Bears jerseys to wear during competitions. Demas anticipates the necessary gaming equipment arriving on campus later this year. Team members can expect practice and training for league games soon thereafter.
Students must maintain a minimum grade point average to remain eligible to play on the team. Coaching staff follow team members as mentors. The team requires a physical exercise component, too.
So when did the esports phenomenon start? According to the official story, the roots of gaming trace back to 1972, at a university no less. Students at Stamford University (now the University of Connecticut – Stamford) squared off in a competition in the game Spacewar. Oh, those swinging 1970s. The first officially recognized video game competition occurred in 1980 at the Space Invaders Championship. From those humble beginnings, video games and esports evolved into a transcendent lifestyle experience.
Competitive gaming continues to grow as a multibillion-dollar global industry. Game development finds its limits only in the imagination of the creators. As gaming industry grew, people noticed there was money to be made. A LOT of it.
Leagues formed. Players joined. A new generation of virtual competition arose. Today, esports invites super-skilled players to join competitive leagues against gamers from around the world.
That new gaming generation features a growing number of colleges and universities fielding esports teams. Demas sees the new team as a unifying force for Northeast State students and alumni.
“We can stream games to our campuses TVs and host gaming parties for the entire campus,” said Demas. “We can have a lot of fun with this.”
Ready player one?
The Northeast State Bears Esports (or electronic sports) team will be in 2022. The College’s new esports team starts the first intercollegiate league gaming competition next year. This exciting new gaming program pits teams against one another in virtual battles ranging from motorsports and soccer to zombie survival and combat.
“We had the idea to do an Esports team before COVID hit, and that made it impossible at the time,” said Chris Demas, the team’s head coach and dean of Wayne G. Basler Library. “It is about creating an environment to enjoy this team-based experience and build a fan base of students; we want to compete and win.”
The Northeast State Bears Esports team recruits student gamers to compete at the highest levels of Esports competition and represent the College. The new program aims to recruit eight Northeast State students who are skilled gamers. Demas explained the eight-member team roster allowed players to focus on multiple games. Students selected to the roster can migrate their existing gamer streams and identities to the Northeast State Bears team.
“We want to recruit students who are already gamers and help them develop their own individual brand,” said Demas. “Most gamers are streaming and gathering followers that watch their streams, and we hope we can help them with that.”
The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) operates as the largest member association of varsity esports programs at colleges and universities in the nation. Established in 2016, NACE reps more than 170 member schools and 5,000 student-athletes playing collegiate esports. Teams fielded at nearby institutions include East Tennessee State University, King University, Milligan University, and Mars Hill University among others.
The esports world unites team competition and individual players seeking to make a name in the global esports community. The Northeast State team will face off against esports teams of regional and national institutions. Demas said the team expected to join the established gaming leagues of Rocket League, League of Legends, Counterstrike, and Valorant.
The E-Bears take the field in the soon-to-be completed gaming space in Wayne G. Basler Library on the Blountville campus. The space includes a hub referred to as a “shoutcast” station. The shoutcast option enables coaches to livestream game competitions as well as team players on the field.
“Esports is more than just gaming,” said Demas. “It includes producing video content and brand creation for our players.”
Competitive collegiate esports leagues features a variety of games. These designated leagues welcome teams from two- and four-year institutions. Once games are scheduled the E-Bears schedule competitions against other institutions. Those competitions stream live to the Twitch platform – THE video game mecca for streaming – and the College’s Youtube channel.
The E-Bears team engages spectators via Twitch or other platform to watch their games like traditional sports. Spectators get a first-person view of what the gamer sees in the field. Two huddle cams stream video of the players competing and the game screens. Demas said competitions would be streamed live on the College campus video channel viewable at all Northeast State campuses.
“We are going to do family nights where we invite everyone in to meet the players and watch the games live on campus,” said Demas.
Demas noted teaching gaming skills was not a goal of the program. He said the program sought to refine individual gaming skills and help players function as a team in a competitive environment. Team members should be seasoned gamers with leveled-up skills and known commodities on the game stream world.
“We want people to have experience in the aforementioned games, and experience streaming and promoting themselves on Twitch,” said Demas. “We also want people who are team players.”
Demas foresees high-performing esports team members taking their talents to four-year universities and their esports teams. The coaching staff recruit students, develop the program, schedule events, and organize practice sessions. Joining him on the esports staff are assistant coaches Brandon Burleson, media services technician, and Mark Beaty, director of Student Life at Northeast State.
Team members get official Northeast State Bears jerseys to wear during competitions. Demas anticipates the necessary gaming equipment arriving on campus later this year. Team members can expect practice and training for league games soon thereafter.
Students must maintain a minimum grade point average to remain eligible to play on the team. Coaching staff follow team members as mentors. The team requires a physical exercise component, too.
So when did the esports phenomenon start? According to the official story, the roots of gaming trace back to 1972, at a university no less. Students at Stamford University (now the University of Connecticut – Stamford) squared off in a competition in the game Spacewar. Oh, those swinging 1970s. The first officially recognized video game competition occurred in 1980 at the Space Invaders Championship. From those humble beginnings, video games and esports evolved into a transcendent lifestyle experience.
Competitive gaming continues to grow as a multibillion-dollar global industry. Game development finds its limits only in the imagination of the creators. As gaming industry grew, people noticed there was money to be made. A LOT of it.
Leagues formed. Players joined. A new generation of virtual competition arose. Today, esports invites super-skilled players to join competitive leagues against gamers from around the world.
That new gaming generation features a growing number of colleges and universities fielding esports teams. Demas sees the new team as a unifying force for Northeast State students and alumni.
“We can stream games to our campuses TVs and host gaming parties for the entire campus,” said Demas. “We can have a lot of fun with this.”
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