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eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 2:52 pm
by McLeansvilleAppFan
In today's Greensboro News and Record and I assume in Saturday's Raleigh News and Observer. It might be paywalled.

The lab I used for chemistry class moved to the new Nursing building so I did not find myself walking through the Moran Commons building last semester but UNCG is making progress on this space.

https://greensboro.com/news/local/educa ... 9d510.html

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:32 pm
by appdaze
Its growing fast. CVCC in hickory has a growing team as well. Even at the lower levels of the pro world you can make some nice side job money.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 5:07 pm
by HighlandsApp
Geez. AppState needs a gaming arena. That could have been included in the bowls of one on the new dorms. Any opportunity for an on campus indoor activity needs to be done.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:33 am
by appst89
King University in Bristol, TN has e-gaming as a varsity sport and is offering scholarships to their players.

I wonder how one recruits for that.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 10:02 am
by McLeansvilleAppFan
Like anything else with recruiting. Some high schools have eSports and those schools and students go to competitions and make a name for themselves. Watching Twitch is likely part of the mix as well.

There might be a lot of walks-ons at King as well.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:22 am
by GSUwasGump’sFallbackSchool
My gf works at a private school in GA, they've turned a large portion of a student center into an esports center, and it's pretty popular. Seems like a low cost, decent viewership, win for school branding and outreach. App could definitely benefit from setting up a team somewhere in the newer portion of the Student Union.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:38 pm
by Cro-Magnon App
I don’t get it. But I’m old. I don’t understand the challenge of the whole concept. Video games? Is that what it is? And scholarships for playing video games? I’ve got to be mistaken or misinformed.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:47 pm
by appdaze
Cro-Magnon App wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:38 pm
I don’t get it. But I’m old. I don’t understand the challenge of the whole concept. Video games? Is that what it is? And scholarships for playing video games? I’ve got to be mistaken or misinformed.
Yep thats it. Not really any different than giving out a scholarship to people who are better at others at putting a rubber ball in a hoop. Its all games/entertainment at the end of the day. The hand eye coordination to play at the top levels would actually blow your mind. It isn't your neighbors kid playing the in basement. There are kids/adults getting in to it that are physically good athletes because its the twitch muscle coordination and rapid recognition abilities that we see on fields and courts that make the top players so good. Just about all the popular pro athletes are big time video game players as well. For example, Devin Booker has won some video game tourneys in his life. Many of these people train just as many hours if not more than most traditional athletes.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:19 pm
by BambooRdApp
I am not a gamer. The last video game that I played on consistent basis was Techmo Bowl or whatever it was called. I did that as I was in training for 6 weeks and roomed with someone that played. If you had Lawrence Taylor, you dominated. With that said, I did pick up a Wii controller and played few days when someone in my wife's family got one for Christmas about 10 years ago. With that said, I did see a 60 minutes piece, I guess is the Superbowl of gaming, where teams played each other. I believe the winner received over $1.0 million. If it is someone's passion, they should follow it. I would suggest a backup plan as the guys and girls playing in the SB featured on 60 minutes were very good.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:38 pm
by appdaze
Saw this and thought of this thread.


Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:51 pm
by ASUPATCH
I'm not yet 40 but really hate the term "eSports". There is nothing even remotely athletic in pushing buttons on a remote or keyboard whilst sitting in a comfy ergonomic chair. Does it take hand eye coordination and practice? It sure does, but so does piano. Maybe we need a piano team and they can call themselves pSport athletes. I play piano so I am not knocking it, but it also is not a sport. When one looks at the definition of sport, it doesn't seem to fit. Gaming team or gaming program, or collegiate gamer, sure.

Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, through casual or organized participation, improve one's physical health.

noun
an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 8:22 pm
by McLeansvilleAppFan
ASUPATCH wrote:
Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:51 pm
I'm not yet 40 but really hate the term "eSports". There is nothing even remotely athletic in pushing buttons on a remote or keyboard whilst sitting in a comfy ergonomic chair. Does it take hand eye coordination and practice? It sure does, but so does piano. Maybe we need a piano team and they can call themselves pSport athletes. I play piano so I am not knocking it, but it also is not a sport. When one looks at the definition of sport, it doesn't seem to fit. Gaming team or gaming program, or collegiate gamer, sure.

Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, through casual or organized participation, improve one's physical health.

noun
an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
I am not a gamer in the modern sense and don't follow eSports myself but I do think skill is involved, competition is involved, others are entertained (in large numbers it seems), and there is some physical exertion. Not at the level of football but enough to say exertion is there. I think you had me until you gave the definition of sport.

If other schools are getting involved I would like to see App do as well and not be left behind. I don't see this going away.

Is darts a sport?

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 8:27 pm
by ASUPATCH
Darts is a bar game to me. I feel it also does not reach a level of physical exertion to be a sport. I agree we should not be left behind other schools in this sense. I just wish the world would drop the eSports moniker. If you can guzzle Mt Dew and smash Cheetos and play until 5am and the one thing getting tired is your eyeballs, it doesn't count to me.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 8:51 pm
by appdaze
Every generation changes the definition of words and even society. If physical exertion is your standard for what constitutes a sport then golf is not a sport. You drive a cart around the course. You leisurely walk up to the ball. Get all serious for a minute to plan out your swing. Then you make one swing. Then you are done with your physical exertion for 5-10 minutes while you take your time observing your shot and casually walking back to your cart to drive to the ball. Playing pool or bowling put out as much if not less exertion than golf, yet all are considered sports.
Should we even evaluate the "sport" of fishing? What about the "sport" of hunting? Both tend to be a person sitting around waiting for something to happen. Then instead of clicking some buttons or a mouse they pull a trigger or crank a reel that does half the work for you.

I remember when skate boarding and other type of activities in that vein weren't considered sports.

Even though you aren't 40, its never too early to practice telling pesky kids to get off your lawn!

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:18 pm
by McLeansvilleAppFan
ASUPATCH wrote:
Tue Jan 18, 2022 8:27 pm
Darts is a bar game to me. I feel it also does not reach a level of physical exertion to be a sport. I agree we should not be left behind other schools in this sense. I just wish the world would drop the eSports moniker. If you can guzzle Mt Dew and smash Cheetos and play until 5am and the one thing getting tired is your eyeballs, it doesn't count to me.
Fair enough, and at some level I agree. I am not sure the folks at the top of the eSports are guzzling Mt. Dew and smashing Cheetos anymore than folks at the top of NCAA recognized sports are doing that and being at the top of their game either.

More important question-what do you want to call it?

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:45 am
by appst89
This is anecdotal, because I know there isn't the same level of exertion, but the members of the e-gaming team that is sponsored by Red Bull go through the exact physical training regimen that they require for all the other athletes they sponsor.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 8:45 am
by BallantyneApp
appst89 wrote:
Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:45 am
This is anecdotal, because I know there isn't the same level of exertion, but the members of the e-gaming team that is sponsored by Red Bull go through the exact physical training regimen that they require for all the other athletes they sponsor.
That's interesting, i was just about to make a quip about letting me know when the e-sports guys got in the gym.

Its a skill to have, and the professionals work just as hard as any other professional, but its not a sport for me. For the record, i don't consider racing to be a sport either, and golf is a tweener.

I can't think of anything more boring than watching somebody play video games, maybe watching a guy turn left for 3 hours.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 10:20 am
by AppWyo
“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.” Hemingway

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:35 am
by McLeansvilleAppFan
BallantyneApp wrote:
Wed Jan 19, 2022 8:45 am
appst89 wrote:
Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:45 am
This is anecdotal, because I know there isn't the same level of exertion, but the members of the e-gaming team that is sponsored by Red Bull go through the exact physical training regimen that they require for all the other athletes they sponsor.
That's interesting, i was just about to make a quip about letting me know when the e-sports guys got in the gym.

Its a skill to have, and the professionals work just as hard as any other professional, but its not a sport for me. For the record, i don't consider racing to be a sport either, and golf is a tweener.

I can't think of anything more boring than watching somebody play video games, maybe watching a guy turn left for 3 hours.
Pro golf is on the edge due to a caddie (caddy) carrying the clubs. High School golf, and I assume college level golf, had to carry clubs and I don't remember even pull carts being allowed. That is not on the same level as the biathlon with the high level of activity and then the calm needed to shoot a gun, but carrying clubs 18 holes and then hitting (and for me all the extra walking in the woods and sometimes nearly swimming in water hazards) did qualify as a sport based on physical activity. Riding a cart or having clubs carried by someone else, not so much. For me golf was closer to a triathlon involving water, land and near desert-like crossing given the time I spent in the sand as well.

Re: eSports at UNCG and NCSU

Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 9:22 pm
by beav910
It doesn’t help App getting an eSports team but random side note I just joined a collegiate iRacing league representing App State (as an alumni of course). It’s a growing field for sure. UNCW is offering eSports focused courses.