Student organizer intends to expand intramural esports
"Spicy Party" — eGaming's Fall 2017 League of Legends champions pose for a photo on Dec. 4, 2017 in the Student Activity Center. From left to right: Saginaw sophomore Andrew Withrow, Grand Rapids junior Derek Bartlett, Honolulu senior Tyler Hironaka and Hanoi, Vietnam senior Nam Le.
For three semesters and six seasons, Central Michigan University's intramural eGaming league has operated and gone unrecognized by most students on the campus.
Now in his last semester at CMU, organizer Josh Steger is making an effort to change that.
"I am committed to growing (eGaming) as an intramural sport and helping the (competitive gaming) clubs grow," the Southgate senior said.
EGaming is CMU's version of esports ("electronic sports") — a multiplayer video game league played competitively by gamers — and is open to students, faculty and staff. Games are offered as seasons and follow the style of other traditional intramural sports.
Games offered include:
- League of Legends, an arena-based action game with a fantasy setting
- Rocket League, a soccer-like game using rocket-powered cars
- The most recent installments of the Madden, NBA2K, NHL and FIFA sports games
"Esports allows people and gamers to have a competitive outlet," said Farmington Hills senior Parker Kitze, vice president of the League of Legends club. "Not everyone is born capable of playing center on a basketball team, but everyone can play video games at a similar level."
Individual games are scheduled by competitors and played online from home. It is designed to provide flexibility to the players.
The league was started in Spring 2017 by Steger after he started working with University Recreation. He was given the task of starting something and was aware that competitive gaming's popularity was growing in the U.S.
"EGaming has the same focus as our intramural sports — (which is) understanding the students and what they want to do with their recreational time," said Scott George, assistant director of University Recreation.
EGaming has lacked participation over its three semesters, but has grown from 32 participants in the fall to 51 participants mid-season this spring, Steger said. Rocket League, which was introduced this semester, already has six teams of four players.
League of Legends champions Spicy Party went undefeated without losing a single set during the Fall 2017 tournament.
Although studies have not been done on how to grow awareness of intramural gaming on campus, Steger believes its slow increase could be due to the fact he is a full-time student.
George said there are limitations as to how many participants Steger can supervise without hiring a second person to help maintain the eGaming league.
Steger stays in contact with the gaming community on campus by promoting and advertising eGaming.
A lot of the gamers are new to the intramural program and its policies and procedures, George said. It may be a case of discovering that intramural esports is offered and they are not rumors.
The future is bright for eGaming, Steger said, but obstacles are still present.
He has proposed hosting other colleges and universities for a tournament, but facility space and equipment are lacking.
"We need space to grow programs, but we also need to grow programs to justify space," George said.
George said the question is, "How do they make it a better experience and more robust?
George and Steger have thought of doing a live championship or weekly match in McGuirk Arena or the Bovee University Center and stream multiple matches on screens.
Steger hopes enhancing eGaming at a club and recreational level will potentially turn it into a varsity sport at CMU.
When time allows, Steger will occasionally participate in esports. He has made friendships and connections, proving that "traditional sports and eGaming can work hand-in-hand."
Steger has one semester left at CMU and is creating a binder and packet so whoever takes over for him will have all the knowledge needed to run the program.
"We want to be endorsed and recognized by the student body and would love to see clubs grow to capacity," Steger said.
