Esports at Georgian
At Georgian, there are many ways you can participate in and learn about esports. You can play through social clubs, compete casually or competitively, or learn and work towards a career in esports by volunteering or taking courses.
Interested in learning more about 21st-century sports? Watch out for future announcements as Georgian grows in this space!
About esports
What are esports?
Esports is the digitization of sports
Video games are a part of everyday life. They are used for education, for relaxation, and for competition – which is where esports come into play.
The competition can take place using a console, a personal computer (PC), a mobile device, a racing simulator, in virtual reality (VR), or even using exercise equipment.
Facts about the growing field of esports
Industry
- Every third person on earth is a gamer; in 2021, there were 2.81 billion gamers and 7.7 billion people on the planet (Source: Statista)
- The video game industry has been bigger than the music and movie industries combined since 2008; esports is the competitive part of that industry (Source: Newzoo)
- 89 per cent of Canadians under the age of 17, and over 60 per cent of all Canadians, play video games (Source: Entertainment Software Association of Canada)
- Streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming each have more subscribers than HBO, Netflix and Spotify
- Worldwide audience growth for esports is expected at 7.7 per cent with 577.2 million viewers by 2024; esports revenues are expected to grow 11.1 per cent in the same period (Source: Newzoo)
- 57 per cent of adult games and 65 per cent of teen games cite improved mental health from playing video games during the pandemic; 70 per cent of teens said video games helped them stay connected with friends (Source: Entertainment Software Association of Canada)
Collegiate esports
- Over 100 schools offer academic programs in esports (e.g. business, sports management, broadcasting, fitness, etc.) and there are even more programs to support the creation of video games!
- Varsity esports is growing and hundreds of schools in North America have esports teams that compete in a wide variety of tournaments. In 2022-23, NACE Starleague included participants from nearly 800 colleges and universities with varsity and club (open) teams. Over 18,000 students participated in competitions. In fall 2023 there are 14 different esports being played (Source: Playfly Esports).
- In 2022, students were eligible for $25 million in esports scholarships in North America (Source: Esports Foundry 2022 Report).
- Georgian students earned $50,000 in esports scholarships in the 2022-23 year as part of the Ontario Esports Scholarship Program.
Careers
- You might be surprised to learn how many different careers need people who are knowledgeable in esports! Learn more about esports-related professions.
I had the pleasure and the highly appreciated opportunity to work with the CyberGrizzlies and the amazing staff they have over the course of two work terms and let me tell you, it was heaps of fun and a chance to work in a field that’s growing tremendously. Things like planning events, hosting them, and talking with students with all different kinds of backgrounds made me realize how diverse the gaming and the esports community truly is. Working with other students to put together the awesome events we’ve hosted, had and still was, a pleasure. It’s because of the opportunities I’ve had and because of the CyberGrizzlies, that made me realize this field of work is where I excel. I’d love nothing more than to pursue a future in esports.—Alexander St-John, Sport Administration (class of 2022)
CyberGrizzlies Esports Club
About the CyberGrizzlies
CyberGrizzlies is the largest of the Georgian College Students’ Association (GCSA) student-run clubs.
It started in 2018. Members and alumni meet online in their Discord server. This social club offers:
- competitive teams – a variety of teams based on student interests. Contact the club president in Discord to start a new team if there isn’t one yet.
- casual play – play games with friends and meet new people
- weekly game nights – open to all; often free games
- movie nights
- viewing parties
- tournaments – including Smash Reborn
- volunteer opportunities
Games room
The CyberGrizzlies also have a games room at the Barrie Campus (room A224), featuring:
- two TVs, one Xbox and one Nintendo Switch
- bring your own device (BYOD) desks and outlets for laptops and phones
- a fun space to hang out with fellow gamers!
Please check Discord for the hours it’s open each semester.
How to join or get involved
- Visit the CyberGrizzlies website
- Join the CyberGrizzlies Discord group
- Follow the club on Twitter and Instagram for upcoming events and games room hours
- Email the club to inquire about volunteer opportunities (e.g. supervise the games room)
I’ve really enjoyed my time with the CyberGrizzlies. The club is very welcoming to all students, no matter the game they play or whether they play competitively or casually. The club gives us a lot of support outside the games, including graphics, events, jerseys, the esports room and much more.
Jackson Douma, Computer Science, Lakehead-Georgian (class of 2024)
Academics
Game – Design and Simulation diploma program
- Bring game design and simulation to life as a video game designer with Georgian’s two-year diploma program
- Explore the latest video game design and simulation tools and techniques. Turn game concepts into 2D and 3D experiences for PC, console, mobile and more
The Business of Esports course (BUSI 2025)
- Some Business programs and the Sport Administration program offer this course.
- The wide variety of businesses supporting video games being played as a professional sport need employees who understand the global esports industry. In this course, students use their understanding of general business concepts to dive deeply into the esports industry to either learn more about a future career or study business concepts in greater depth in terms of an industry sector that is of interest to them
Esport Canada Post-Secondary
The CyberGrizzlies Esports Club is an Esport Canada Post-Secondary (ECPS) member. This opportunity provides a valuable connection with like-minded schools to learn best practices and share student success ideas to grow esports.
As an independent advisory board, ECPS is the national voice for developing programs that aim to elevate postsecondary esports while advocating on their behalf. The CyberGrizzlies have been a member since it started in 2022.
We’re very proud to be a part of the inaugural group of postsecondary schools supporting Canadian collegiate esports through Esport Canada. It’s important for schools to support a wide variety of their students’ interests and while our CyberGrizzlies Esports Club is fostering a love for esports on our campus, it’s equally important to encourage the growth of esports everywhere.
– Carol Meissner, club advisor and faculty member in Business and Management
Esports news and resources
CyberGrizzlies news
- 2023-24 Season:
- CyberGrizzlies recognized as the November 2023 Esports Club of the Month by Monster Energy and NACE Starleague
- The faculty mentor for the club, Carol Meissner, authored a chapter in the Routledge Handbook of Esports (Aug 24 publication). This global reference book included 93 authors from 27 countries. In May 2024, she received the Georgian College Board of Governors’ Award of Distinction – Employee Entrepreneurial Award for her work with esports.
- 2022-23 Season:
- CyberGrizzlies recognized as Esports Club of the Month (January 2023) by Monster Energy and NACE Starleague
- CyberGrizzlies recognized by the GCSA with the 2023 Changemaking Club Award
Podcasts
Reports
Contact us
Have questions about esports? Let’s connect!
