FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — Midland University in Fremont has added more than two dozen programs to its sports roster since 2009. Next year, it’ll add one more: video gaming.
The school already has a video game club team. Now, it plans to field a varsity-level team in the fall, complete with a coach and scholarships.
Known as eSports, video game competitions have jumped in popularity at campuses nationwide. Hundreds of schools have club teams, and a small but growing number are offering gaming as a varsity sport with scholarships.
Midland spokesman Nate Neufind says the school of about 1,400 students 30 miles west of Omaha wanted to “create one more opportunity for students to pursue their passion at the college level.”