Worcester College Becomes First To Offer Degree In Esports Management

July 13, 2018

WBUR Newsroom

In this Feb. 10, 2018 photo, a crowd watches the final of "Street Fighter" during an esports event at Makuhari Messe in Chiba near Tokyo. A crowd cheers, banging on balloons, in front of glitzy stages, each with a giant screen. (Yuri Kageyama/AP)

Becker College in Worcester will soon offer a degree in esports management — the first of its kind in the nation.

Esports are video game competitions, often watched by large crowds in person and online.

Becker College School of Design and Technology Dean Alan Ritacco says the industry is growing, so there is a need to train students on the business side.

"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but maybe 10 years from now potentially this will be larger than the NFL because of the viewership," he said. "We're seeing a growing viewership."

Ritacco says the goal is to train students to become esports league managers, coaches, or marketing specialists.