Florida Southern College Creates Esports Arena to Boost Community Gameplay
Florida Southern College has expanded and upgraded its campus esports facilities, turning a space for community-based computer gaming into a large esports arena. The new space, dubbed the Snake Pit, is designed to accommodate gaming by the general student population, according to a news announcement. It will also be used by the college's esports teams for varsity tournament play.
Features of the arena include 30 gaming stations, additional seating for console gaming, projection technology for competition use, and movable furnishings.
"Esports is a fast-growing industry; in the U.S., esports is predicted to have more viewers than any other sports league excluding the NFL, with an expected 200 percent growth by 2024," commented Anne B. Kerr, president of Florida Southern, in a statement. "We recently announced that the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise will introduce an undergraduate minor and a Master of Business Education concentration related to competitive gaming. So, this new gaming area is a perfect addition to the educational and job opportunities for our scholars."
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