Inside Education and Health Sciences
UD launches new esports course in spring semester
After launching Connect E-Sports in 2020, a gaming and live tournament center in the Oregon District, UD alumna and lifelong gamer Mary Baldino started her journey to bring esports to the University of Dayton.
Baldino, along with her husband, turned Connect E-Sports into a local hub in downtown Dayton’s Wheelhouse. The venue, which had 20 top-tier PCs, consoles and a streaming setup, became a gathering spot for competitive and casual players.
As Connect E-Sports grew, Baldino worked with UD’s Rocket League esports team and other student groups, helping them understand the depths of streaming, event organization and live tournaments.
“They held a couple tournaments at our space, and then a couple years ago Dr. Haozhou Pu’s class also ran their own tournaments for an organization called Extra Life. So that’s how I got involved with UD,” she explained.
The Department of Health and Sport Science is launching a new course this spring, Introduction to Esports, where Baldino will teach students different aspects of the esports business, from high school to professional leagues. The course involves learning about the governance, industry stakeholders, marketing and event planning in esports, and giving students a look into what goes on behind the scenes in competitive gaming.
The main highlight of the course will be a student-led tournament, where groups will plan, market and execute an event at Extra Life, which is a fundraising program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. This will give the students great experience in the world of esports.
“They’ll be asked to get sponsors and have their own marketing plan," Baldino said. "So not only will they have a classroom element to it, there will be a physical side where they’re going to have to carry out what they’re actually learning.”
By expanding esports at UD, she hopes to lure students from diverse majors and backgrounds.
“I’m guessing a lot of these students aren’t coming from a business side, so I think it will be really diverse for them to be thrown into a world they haven’t been involved in,” she said.
The Introduction to Esports course at UD gives students a really good chance to turn their passion for gaming into a professional career. With experiencing tournament-play, planning and marketing practice, they’ll gain skills that are highly desired in the gaming industry.