Florida Southern College Creates Esports Arena to Boost Community Gameplay

Florida Southern College esports arena

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."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Digital Network of User Profiles and Data Connections

    Microsoft, RSA Make Identity Security Push in the Age of AI

    Two of the bigger authentication announcements to come out of the recent RSA Conference both point in the same direction: Organizations need a more flexible, unified approach to identity security, especially as AI agents start acting alongside human workers.

  • Blue digital wireframe classical building structure

    Before AI, Fix Your Data

    Institutions don't have to solve every data problem before they can begin using AI responsibly. But they do need to treat information as a strategic asset — not a byproduct of operations — and start building toward AI-ready data now.

  • businesspeople in silhouette with colorful network lines

    Report: AI Will Reshape Work More than Replace It, but Global Impact Is Uneven

    Richer countries face greater exposure to AI-driven changes than developing countries, which are less exposed to AI but risk being left behind, according to a joint report from the International Labour Organization and World Bank.

  • illustration of people collaborating around large interlocking gears and data charts

    Why ERP and AI Initiatives Stall at the Execution Layer: A CIO Perspective

    Higher education institutions are investing heavily in ERP modernization, analytics, and AI-driven capabilities. Yet even with these investments, many are running into the same issue: turning insight into coordinated, timely action.