GORHAM, Maine — The University of Southern Maine's largest club sport received a $750,000 gift Wednesday for a brand-new space, thanks to Town & Country Federal Credit Union.
More than 170 students are members of USM's esports, or competitive video gaming, program. More than 70 of those students play competitively against other schools.
USM is part of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference and like other sports competes in a regular season, with the opportunity to qualify for playoffs in games like Overwatch, League of Legends, and Rocket League.
The Collab: Esports Arena by Town & Country is expected to be completed before the fall semester and will replace an existing area in the Brooks Student Commons. The arena will provide club members a space to practice, and the facility will be open to all students.
"This partnership aligns with our goals that include supporting higher education by facilitating new and innovative hands-on learning and engagement for current and future students," David Libby, president and CEO of Town & Country Federal Credit Union, said in a USM news release Wednesday.
Michael Jackson is the chief innovation officer of Town & Country. He said the new esports arena will help students sharpen skills in the physical and digital worlds before beginning their careers after graduation.
“Like teamwork, cooperation, healthy competition, all of those attributes, the students will need as well," Jackson added.
Jackson said he played video games growing up and understands the passion of the students at USM and saw that passion firsthand when he worked on the arena project with them. The new arena and commitment to the largest club on campus, he said, will help grow economic and social connections within the community.
As part of the partnership, Town & Country will also have marketing representation on USM's esports jerseys, at future events and broadcasts.
Michael Brown is a senior at USM and is the chairman of the school's E-sports Executive Committee. He said Wednesday the growth of the club has been "spectacular."
“We used to play just in our dorms, with whatever we had there," Brown said. “It gives us a space that not only has been popular in the past but gives us a space where we can all group together and focus on esports there.”
Brown said his fellow classmates and teammates compete in more than 17 different video games and have had success in inter-scholastic events. This new arena will not only let USM host events, and broadcast them, but it will also give the esports club a permanent home.
“We’re just going to draw so many new students in, it’s going to be a central place for us to gather, and I think it will just be a great place to meet more people who are interested in what we’re interested in," club member Graham Hannon of Augusta said.
Katriana Thebarge is the school's coordinator of recreation. She said one of the first things she wanted to bring to campus was an organized esports club or team. She herself played esports at Thomas College when her soccer season was canceled because of COVID.
Thebarge said the esports club size is more than triple the average club size on campus, and now it will have a new state-of-the-art home.
“Having the space will really allow the students to come out, engage with one another, and have that sense of belonging," she added.
Brown and Hannon said the new space will let more students connect with each other in a safe and familiar environment.
“It’s really fun to get to know those people and get to compete with them," Hannon said. “We’re just going to draw so many new students in. It’s going to be a central place for us to gather, and I think it will just be a great place to meet more people who are interested in what we’re interested in.”
USM is the latest Maine college to invest in an esports facility and is also offering an academic minor in esports management within its business school.
Central Maine Community College and Thomas College have also built esports arenas on their campuses. Thomas College recently began offering an esports management major as well.
More than 30 student-athletes are on the team in Waterville and the school hosted the Maine High School Esports State Championships last month. Thomas College also received a grant to double facilities and equipment, hire more coaches, and expand its space.
According to a USM release, Town & Country is working with SMRT Architects and Engineers in the design phase of the project. The plan is to open the arena in August 2024.
E-sports continues to grow nationwide and around the world. According to Statista, last year's League of Legends World Championship became the most-watched event of all time, with more than 6 million peak viewers.