AUSTIN, Texas — There’s long been a stigma with video gamers, but times have changed and esports has evolved into a real thing.

  • Concordia University adds esports to college
  • Will build team, provide scholarships
  • One of only five colleges in Texas with an esports varsity team  

“There’s $1.5 billion in the gaming industry,” Concordia Director of Athletics Rhonda Seagraves said.

The booming business is coming to Concordia University. This week, the university announced it's adding varsity esports to the college.

“We put together a committee and jokingly said we need to look at esports because it kept popping up on athletic websites. As we got into a little further, it was not a joke,” Seagraves said.

The school will add a real team, plans to build an arena and offer scholarships to the top players they’ll be recruiting.

“We’re trying to break that image, and esports at a university is offering a step up to what they’re used to,” Marc Valdiora, esports coordinator and coach at concordia said.

Concordia University is one of only five colleges in Texas with esports as a varsity sport, and the first in central Texas.​