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.
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)
Get involved
Student clubs
CyberGrizzlies esports club
- CyberGrizzlies is the largest of Georgian College Students’ Association (GCSA) student-run clubs.
- It started in 2018 and now hosts over 1,000 members and alumni in its Discord server, where they meet online regularly.
- This social club offers:
- casual play (play games with friends and meet new people)
- competitive teams (tryouts are ongoing)
- weekly game nights (open to all; usually free games)
- movie nights
- viewing parties
- tournaments
- volunteer opportunities
- The club has a games room (A224, Barrie Campus) featuring:
- two TVs, one Xbox and one Nintendo Switch
- desks and outlets for laptops and phones
- a fun space to hang out with fellow gamers
How to join
- 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).
Campus recreation
Georgian Grizzlies
- Georgian Athletics fielded a League of Legends team during the 2021-22 season of the Ontario Post-Secondary Esports (OPSE), in partnership with the CyberGrizzlies, Georgian’s esports club.
- Check back often for news about any new esports teams this fall and winter, or reach out to offer to lead a team!
How to join
- For more information about this team or to get involved, please visit the GeorgianGrizzlies.ca website.
Academics
Game – Design and Simulation diploma program
- Bring game design and simulation to life as a video game designer with Georgian’s new 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 (BUSI 2025) 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.
Find out more
- Visit the Game – Design and Simulation program page.
- Contact us to learn more about the BUSI 2025 course.
Ontario establishes esports scholarship
The Ontario government is investing $1 million over two years in a scholarship for postsecondary students in esports and related programs. Read the news release.Esport Canada Post-Secondary
Georgian is pleased to announce that it has joined Esport Canada Post-Secondary (ECPS). This opportunity provides a valuable connection with like-minded schools to learn best practices and share student success ideas to grow esports at the college and across other institutions.
As an independent advisory board, ECPS is the national voice for the development of programs whose goals are to elevate postsecondary esports while advocating on their behalf.
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, Georgian College’s Manager, Esports and faculty member in Business and Management
Resources
Georgian in the news
- Georgian College leaps into competitive online gaming with League of Legends team
- CyberGrizzlies named CSL Esports Monster Energy Esports Club of the Week
- CyberGrizzlies jersey recognized in Champria’s list of Top 10 Best Esports Jerseys
Podcasts
Reports
- 2021 Global Esports & Live Streaming Market Report by Newzoo
- Entertainment Software Association of Canada’s Essential Facts Report