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(KNSI) – Saint Cloud State University launched its new Huskies Esports Arena in the Atwood Memorial Center on Monday, with a ton of announcements made at the event.

UTVS students control room at Huskies Esports Arena unveiling. Grant Dossetto/KNSI News

Prestigious regional tournaments will be hosted on campus as soon as this summer. Two varsity esports teams will be competing by spring 2024. There are also esports minors available for students academically. Assistant Professor of Management Kurtis Homan says the management minor looks at turning live events and other tournaments into a viable career.

“It looks at a lot of business fundamentals and we start to apply them in a more targeted esports space.”

He says many people have a passion for it and they think it sounds cool, but there are some unique circumstances around hosting esports. It takes at least a basic financial knowledge to make it work.

“We mention working with publishers and that is a very big thing that is distinctive between traditional sports. Nobody owns a football. If you want to make a football team or football organization, nothing really stops you. That doesn’t mean you’re going to join the NFL immediately but in esports it’s different. Somebody owns the intellectual property related to StarCraft or someone that owns League of Legends.”

Saint Cloud State is starting up a mass communications esports minor in the fall that will focus on broadcasting and similar media careers, even creative writing. More minors are expected to be added in the coming years.

Homan has had a lifelong love of video games, with the 1990’s classic Street Fighter being his initiation into esports.

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