Ferris State University, located in Michigan, United States, has announced that its esports and gaming dedicated venue for students will open up in August.
The arena will be the centrepiece of the university’s $32m (⁓£25m) Center for Virtual Learning, with final amenities for the Esports Arena arriving the week of August 7th.
Ferris State University Esports Arena aims to offer production teams improved opportunities for replay gathering and presentation during competitions, alongside providing space for 18 participating teams as well as spectators.
“We will be able to show off our 74 varsity athletes, competing in national collegiate leagues in a manner that was impossible before,” commented Jono Eaton, Esports Coordinator at Ferris State University. “Our technical capabilities to support producers and directors who head up game broadcasts, along with ‘casters’ who describe the action, take a big leap forward, thanks to the design and outfitting of our arena.”
The first esports competition set to take place at the Ferris State University Esports Arena has been scheduled for August 22nd.
The university’s esports programme was initially established in 2017. In 2022, a Bachelor of Science curriculum in Professional Esports Production was introduced. As per the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), a nonprofit based in Kansas City, more than 240 colleges and universities have formed esports teams with over 5,000 student-athletes.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Butler University would host the Spring Finals of the NACE Starleague, which is jointly organised by NACE and CSL Esports and ranks among the leading collegiate esports leagues in North America.
Ferris State University is the latest in line of education institutions to offer amenities or degrees to its students, tailored specifically to esports. Only a couple of months ago, New Jersey’s Stockton University confirmed it will be launching an Esports Management degree in Autumn 2023.
