NCAA exploring sponsoring eSports as actual varsity sport

well.... the brain IS a muscle.... and eye and hand coordination do require some athletic skills...

i know esport players for games like starcraft require 10 actions per second (not simply clicking the mouse button but actual actions) . so... i guess it's physical as well?

While we are at it, we might as well get the NCAA to get on board with NCAA Nascar.

I wonder what game would/will be the first to be a legit college sport. I hope it's counterstrike just for the mgo memes.

Anything they can make money off of, I'm sure they'll look into.

But looking at ways to let players make money off their likeness or just get a bigger piece of the pie, nooooooo opening up such a big can a worms yada yada. 

maybe someday football will played only in the virtual world. 

I’m tempted to say that collegiate e-sports has all the fan potential (and revenue-production potential) of, say, water polo or cross-country.  But that would be quite unfair to those sports.

And in fact, I suspect that money specifically directed by the game manufacturers might play a very big role in a semi-serious decision.

And of course, the NCAA’s own history with electronic games was such a happy and rewarding experience for the organization.

Ed O’Bannon will probably have a grandson who is an All-American electronic gamer.

Great way to kill career paths for ambitious college students. No one is going to give up potential prize money, YT/Twitch streaming, and endorsement deals for varsity esports.

I'm a gamer, but this is pathetic.

But who will be the first "student athlete" to skip out on their final year of eligibility to go pro in E-Sports.

Good grief

“I’ve had university presidents call and ask about it..." 

That is 100% Trumpian style BS. Hersch is looking to make a buck that's all.  

You have to be kidding me. This is insane.

FWIW, there is already a NCAA corollary in NACE (National Association of Collegiate Esports) that organizes "varsity esports." There are actually a handful of member institutions that also have legit D-1 athletic programs like Miami (ntm), Wichita State, Western Kentucky, and Oklahoma. LINK

Is debate a varsity sport?

It was probably never expected from the 20-something dude with an anime avatar to want this shit off his lawn, but yes, PLEASE get this shit off my lawn.

I've done three things competitively: chess, skeet shooting, and gaming. The first two felt far more like engaging in a sport than the latter.

If you don't have to put pants on to practice, it is not a sport. If this stuff is going to be a D-1 "sport", then why not battle rap and poker?

That being said, I hope Michigan takes a huge dump on OSU in CounterStrike.

I don't particularly care whether esports are sports, but if I was involved in esports, I wouldn't want the NCAA within a thousand miles of it.

Sponsored by pornhub 

I'm a little annoyed by this, seems pretty stupid. But if it could somehow bring enough money that other athletes could get paid, I'd maybe consider it. This is basically the NCAA eyeing new markets and testing the waters. 

But, I would prefer they promote other sports more and help others expand before they add esports. I feel like the NCAA does little to promote soccer, baseball and softball; they're actually decent products but get little coverage. I would also like to see them work to expand other sports, particularly ones that are primarily regional - hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and wrestling. They are all pretty good spectator sports (maybe wrestling not as much but its competitive and intense) but they're only played by a handful of schools. Athletic programs around the country should be adding sports, not cutting them. And they shouldn't add esports when there's more they could do with their current menu of sports. 

This is like making competitive eating a collegiate sport, or making juggling a sport. Like its cool if you're good at it, good for you, but I mean, come on...