Our AVNetwork higher ed esports roundtable is now available on demand. The panel shares insights about why your educational institution would want an esports program, the differences in esports environments, and budget considerations.
Brandon Brunhammer, Director LD & Simulation at AVI-SPL, Michael DiBella, Director of Product Marketing, Commercial at Crestron, and Ashley “AJ” Jones, Director of Membership Sales and Services at National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) join host Cindy Davis.
Our speakers also provide insights into how to assemble the right stakeholders, facility design planning, and the IT infrastructure and AV technology needed to get your program up and running.
How to find your higher ed esports stakeholders
Understanding who the stakeholders are is critical. In a perfect world, the top-level decision makers like the university president or provost are involved. An esports program can thrive under any department, but ultimately the people on campus who are most passionate about an esports program will support it. That can include people from athletics, student life, IT, academic programming, marketing, and health and wellness.
Keep in mind that while one department may drive the esports need, they may not be responsible to support the program at your university. There may be a new, yet-to-be-defined group that will handle the esports program.
The importance of network infrastructure and technology
As you plan for your esports program, start with the experience. What experience are you expecting to deliver to the students and spectators? You’ll also need to plan for sustaining and expanding the program. For example, 3 competitors versus 60 competitors will require different space considerations.
Establishing an esports facility build-out plan is key to figuring out what you need. This should include everything from electrical, plumbing, and HVAC to your IT infrastructure and AV technology. Flawless content distribution for players and spectators is essential.
Esports is a fast-paced sport that requires near zero latency to have impeccable image integrity. This means that you should have at least one separate network dedicated to esports. The larger the network, the less latency you’ll experience. Signal flow, audio, and visual displays are all important technology considerations for an esports facility.
Consider the types of games that will be played, how much space different game styles require, and how big an audience you’ll need to accommodate.
Get your higher ed esports program up and running
If you’re ready to create or expand your existing higher ed esports program, check out the Creating or Expanding Your Higher Ed Esports Program webcast. Ready to talk about AVI-SPL and Crestron esports solutions? Get in touch with AVI-SPL today.
