Esports is now big business. The industry had more than $1.1 billion in revenue last year and is growing at a quick pace. Last year’s number was up nearly $200 million from 2020 – and that was a year when much of society was stuck at home for several months. That means more jobs and more opportunity.
To that end, two Atlanta-based groups, Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming, that specialize in esports have announced a partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Georgia Film Academy and universities across Georgia to launch the Georgia Esports League (GEL). The league will host competitions, as well as develop curriculum and workforce development initiatives to serve the videogame, esports and digital entertainment industries.
“Gaming and digital entertainment are key industry initiatives for Georgia,” said Asante Bradford of the Department of Georgia Economic Development. “The Georgia Esports League will help attract college students across our state to this growing industry, so we can continue to fill the jobs posted by the many tech and digital media companies relocating to Georgia.”
It appears to be a first of its kind program across the country, with the potential to attract students from outside Georgia who otherwise might not have considered the state for college. Live esports is a growing event activity, with the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup held in Atlanta earlier this year having a nearly $2 million economic impact. A global gaming festival called Dreamhack is coming back to the Georgia World Congress Center in November with an expected attendance of more than 40,000.
“We’re excited to build out skill development that goes well beyond just playing games,” said Todd Harris CEO of Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming. Our partnerships in Georgia allow us to engage with students starting in middle school with STEAM exposure and social-emotional learning all the way through college competition to careers playing esports professionally, becoming a gaming creator on YouTube or Twitch, or working in the broader game and digital entertainment industry behind the scenes as a programmer, artist or designer.”
Partnering with the Georgia Film Academy (GFA) gives the program a proven winner when it comes to integrating or making the connection between growing industries and workforce development. The GFA has already trained more than 10,000 Georgia through 28 of the state’s public universities and technical colleges.
“Building off our success in film, Georgia’s next workforce initiative is gaming, esports, and digital entertainment”, said Jeff Stepakoff, Executive Director of the Georgia Film Academy. “We are thrilled to partner with industry experts Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming to build out the curriculum, deliver hands-on experiences with industry tools, and engage students via Georgia Esports League competition, events, and live-streaming. Georgia now has a full ecosystem around the world’s fastest evolving creative economy.”
