Esports Camps Announced by Concord University, West Virginia

At Concord University Esports facility in West Virginia, the University is debuting its first esports summer camp. Similar to summer camps for traditional sports like football and baseball, youths will undertake activities related to the chosen sport- just this one is digital. The first batch of students will be aged between 7 and 15, while the second will be between 16 and 18. Each group will attend 2-day camps running concurrently between the 13th to the 18th of June. Each summer camp will have up to 30 students attending two 9-hour days full of activities and are great examples of the esports industry’s growth into other sectors.

The camp for younger students is intended to teach skills needed to become an esports athlete as well as build on any existing experience they might have. The second allows these would-be pro-gamers the opportunity to get their “name in front of Concord Esports,” which, if they have enough talent and skill, could set them up for esports success while simultaneously promoting the university’s esports activities. The esports games that have been confirmed at the camp include some of the larger ones, such as Valorant, Rocket League, and Overwatch. Austin Clay, the Concord Esports director, says that along with having fun playing some video games, they will sharpen competitive gaming skills and learn a variety of skills that include teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership. The camp has attracted outside interest from HyperX, a computer and gaming hardware supplier.

So What do these esports Camps mean for other Industries?

While esports camps are a relatively new thing in the US and certainly in West Virginia, the industry as a whole has been growing at a rapid pace. As esports becomes more and more mainstream and accepted, the countless possibilities for growth in surrounding industries come with it. This includes the esports gambling market, which is likely to surge as legislation allowing esports betting is being passed state-by-state, as seen in West Virginia.