Why Esports?
- Growing Global Industry: Esports is projected to surpass $9.2 billion by 2030, attracting top sponsors, massive audiences, and media attention
- 21st‐Century Skill Development: Students practice project management, financial planning, marketing & branding, and content creation in an authentic, competitive environment.
- High Engagement: Esports resonates strongly with modern students, helping universities improve student recruitment, retention, and overall satisfaction.
- Real‐World Problem‐Solving: Organizing live tournaments demands leadership, teamwork, logistics, and crisis management—mirroring real‐world business scenarios
Two Program Options
1. Esports Business Fundamentals (1‐Credit, 15 Hours)
A Concise, High‐Impact Elective
- Ideal For: Institutions seeking a short, engaging introduction to esports event operations and basic business principles.
- Focus: Core tournament logistics (bracket design, scheduling, rule enforcement) + a mini marketing overview.
- Hands‐On Project: Students plan and execute a small‐scale, intra‐college event, handling day‐of responsibilities under faculty mentorship.
- Quick ROI Within 15 hours, students gain practical exposure to organizing an esports tournament and universities can easily gauge future expansion potential.
How It Works: Course Structure
Hybrid Learning Approach
Courses combine high-quality, pre-recorded video lectures from esports professionals with faculty-led workshops. While students learn core concepts from the experts like tournament ecosystems and sponsorship strategy—college lecturers guide hands-on sessions such as simulations, planning, and campaign development.
Project‐Based & Student‐Centered
Learning is built around real projects. Students create brackets, draft rulebooks, plan financials, and design sponsor campaigns. These stack into a final capstone event—ranging from small-scale scrims to full-campus tournaments, depending on the credit load.
Real‐World Mentorship
College lecturers act as mentors, supporting students with logistics, conflict management, and event execution while maintaining academic structure. Virtual guest sessions or Q&As with industry professionals provide added feedback and inspiration.
Internationally Accredited
Accredited by Education Alliance Finland (EAF), both programs have received an “Excellent” rating—ensuring global pedagogical standards, career relevance, and educational credibility that institutions can trust.
For Students
- Practical Business Experience: Organizing a live esports tournament cultivates leadership, time management, and team coordination skills
- High Engagement & Retention: Students get an immersive, hands‐on learning experience aligned with their interests in gaming and modern media.
- Cross‐Disciplinary Exposure: Blends finance, marketing, operations, IT, and communication—preparing students for diverse career paths in both esports and traditional industries
For the College
- Innovative Curriculum: Positions your college as a forward‐thinking institution, leveraging a high‐growth, tech‐driven industry.
- Flexible Implementation: The 1‐credit course offers a short pilot or elective, while the 3‐credit program provides a full semester experience.
- Community Visibility: Large tournaments can draw media, sponsors, and prospective students, raising the institution’s profile.
- Scalable Future: Successful events may lead to annual esports leagues, inter‐college collaborations, or additional revenue from sponsorships and ticket sales
Implementation Roadmap
- Academic Approval
- Resource Preparation
- Promotion & Enrollment
- Program Launch
- Capstone Execution & Review
- Scale & Grow
Align the program with your institution’s credit requirements and academic framework.
Secure classroom/online space, IT setup, and assign faculty facilitators.
Promote the course on campus, highlighting hands-on experience and career pathways.
Distribute materials, begin eCourses, and guide students through their first mini-projects.
Host a tournament and gather feedback to refine future delivery.
Expand to leagues, sponsorships, or spin-off programs across departments or campuses.
Key Modules (3‐Credit Deep Dive)
Our deep-dive esports course equips students with the practical and strategic skills needed to thrive in the esports industry. Key modules include:
Esports Industry & Strategy
Explore major leagues, key players, revenue models, and global business frameworks in esports.
Project-Based Learning
Gain hands-on experience running events, managing disputes, and simulating real-world tournament scenarios.
Finance & Monetization
Build tournament budgets, sponsorship decks, and plans for sustainable revenue and ROI tracking
Marketing & Sponsorship
Design brand campaigns, pitch to sponsors, and activate partnerships across media and live events.
Content & Community
Create video promos, manage streaming, and grow communities through Discord, influencers, and social media.
Capstone Tournament Project
Execute a full-scale event, with deliverables including a complete tournament playbook and post-event report.
Ready to Bring Esports to Your Campus?
By offering Esports Business Fundamentals (1‐credit) or the Esports Business & Tournament Accelerator (3‐credit), your institution provides cutting‐edge education that resonates with today’s students and tomorrow’s industry demands.
- Short Pilot (1‐Credit): Perfect for quickly testing student interest and showcasing esports potential on campus
- Comprehensive Semester (3‐Credit): Ideal for building robust, career‐ready skill sets, culminating in a professional‐level tournament with real sponsorship, marketing, and financial planning.
Partner with Squid Academy to deliver an internationally accredited esports curriculum. Together, we’ll equip your students with modern business skills, practical leadership experience, and an engaging new way to learn by doing.
