This was the biggest grift professionalization of ‘sports’ ever
Oh No….what will they do now….
Esports is an interesting area, but collegiate esports has never made sense to me. There’s no real physical development needed, so competition isn’t normally grouped by age and the framework of support that an athletic department normally provides it’s athletes isn’t really needed since the barrier of entry is so low.
There are school using it to essentially boost enrollment in the same way that a school would add a football team, but Miami doesn’t really need that.
Well at least the current team members will retain their scholarships.
Ok, so go play the video games in your dorm room/apartment/house, like nearly every other guy on campus.
I think it makes sense as a club similar to other club sports, even though it’s not athletic. Seems like a fun thing and good way to meet others into your hobby. Were there actual partial scholarships/aid given? Were students recruited? I knew a team existed from seeing social media over the years but never really investigated.
I think this is a program that Miami should get behind with the full weight of its NIL resources. I’m confident that with the utmost level of support this is a sport in which we could win a national championship.
It’s awfully cute to think the kids in the program thought Miami would spend significant money on esports.
Apparently they were under Miami Recreation now? I think at one point they were under Media Studies. They were never under the AD afaik.
A club program is the logical approach.
I like the cut of your jib, but want to tack toward a better wind: harness racing. No college offers a D1 team. We are near the heart of it in Lebanon Ohio. Idea: we sponsor D1 harness racing and claim…
Our first D1 tittle in it … the first D1 title in it!!!
Thoughts?
I’m more of a thoroughbred guy myself, having spent many an afternoon with the degenerates at River Downs. Used to go downtown to King News on 6th St. at midnight to get the Racing Form right as it came off the truck. Sad day when River Downs went corporate but I digress.
Never got into harness racing but if we can be pioneers and win championships I’m all in. We could build the track at the old Millett site. Get a gambling license and it will generate revenue.
That’s 4d chess right there.
=Build track at old Millett site? Why waste the money? Millett already has a track!