By David Glovach
Sports Writer
In a way, the University of North Alabama Gaming program is a microcosm of how much competitive gaming and esports has grown in popularity. According to Newzoo’s Global Esports and Live Streaming Market Report, the industry is expected to top $1.084 billion in revenue by year’s end.
Founded in 2019, UNAG currently has around 130 members on competitive rosters for games like League of Legends, Overwatch, Super Smash, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Rocket League, Call of Duty, and Valor.
For most games, UNAG has two rosters. Purple is varsity, gold is JV. Members go out and secure sponsorships that appear on their jerseys and Twitch site (all those must be approved by UNA and its Legal Department). Tryouts are usually in the fall.
“Not exactly,” “We worked hard and saw the market for the people who wanted to play and went for it and didn’t get told ‘no’ a lot,” UNAG President Zane Mooney saidwhen asked if he was surprised by the growth. “It’s become a great community for people who usually don’t have a voice.”
This year, the Recreation Department was able to hand out $1,000 scholarships to 40 students. UNAG makes them available to incoming freshmen and transfers it decides are a good fit for the organization. The vetting process is done by Mooney and the other members of the club’s council.
“All of the funding (for UNAG equipment and scholarships) came from the top down,” Luke Persall, UNA’s coordinator for intramural and club sports, and outdoor recreation, said. “This is not a normal process for a club sport, but the administration saw the attraction of it and how fast it’s growing and decided to put effort into it.”
