ESU Unveils New Esports Arena

With the opening of Emporia State University’s new on-campus esports arena, the Hornets’ teams of video game competitors now enjoy an ultra-modern facility that will showcase their talents and enlarge ESU’s burgeoning esports program.

Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting in Cremer Hall allowed Nathan Goodwin, ESU’s coordinator for esports and e-ventures, to introduce the campus community and public to what he describes as “a super high-tech computer lab.” Competitive video gamers require high-speed computers, large video monitors and intuitive controls, so inside ESU’s arena are 24 gaming stations that allow the university to field four teams of five players each. The arena also features screens that allow spectators to watch the matches in real time.

Through the support of the City of Emporia and the ESU Foundation, the Cremer Hall facility is a central hub for all of the campus’ esports activities, Goodwin said. At the ribbon-cutting, visitors not only saw the new accommodations but they also had the opportunity to try out the new computer stations on family friendly games such as Mario Kart, Minesweeper, solitaire and the games in which ESU’s teams compete: League of Legends, Overwatch and chess.

“A lot of our players are playing on computers that are 10 or 15 years old, so when they come and play on our machines, it gives them a lot more room to grow,” he said. “It also allows us to host events, so sometimes we'll invite a local university to come down and play a match against us. It also gives us room to hold on-campus tournaments and we'll be running a summer camp this summer. The arena will give us space to do that.”

Unlike ESU’s NCAA-sanctioned athletics teams, Hornet Esports, which began earlier this year, operates under the direction of the Office of Enrollment and Student Success and competes against similar teams from other universities. ESU is one of the National Association of Collegiate Esports’ more than 260 members. Goodwin’s role is unique: he’s not only the university’s esports coordinator and one of the students who helped launch the sport here, he’s also a senior who will graduate this semester with a Bachelor of Science in Business/Information Systems.

Twenty-five students are currently involved with Hornet Esports, which includes those on an academy team that doesn’t compete on the three varsity teams in League of Legends, Overwatch and chess. The varsity gamers receive scholarship awards that can reach up to $1,200 an academic year. The students who coach the three varsity teams receive an additional stipend.

“We emphasize esports more as an extracurricular, something to help teach team-building and work-ethic and those sort of skills,” he said.