Defining Esports Student-Athletes and the Behaviors that Affect Academic Performance

Abstract

Esports has been an emerging topic within the past decade. As video games are being more competitive, so is the potential of Esports for college teams to be made. Students are provided opportunities of recruitment to play at the collegiate level for various prizes, such as money for their Esports programs or scholarships. There are studies that investigate the personal and academic well-being of student-athletes within physical sports but there are nearly none for student-athletes within Esports. The question arises if the term student-athletes can be used in Esports, as there are debates for and against that label. Esports student-athletes have behaviors like student-athletes in traditional sports (i.e., high achievements in academics, personal wellbeing, etc.) and have the same responsibilities in terms of academics. If the behaviors of student-athletes and Esports student-athletes are similar as reported in the literature, then Esports student-athletes should have a higher academic achievement than the regular student population. This study sought to find the comparison between Esports student-athletes and student-gamers within the general student population by comparing academic achievement behaviors. This study was conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Electronic surveys were sent to the Esports student-athletes and student gamers (students that plays video games within the general student population) inquiring about the number of hours they spend on video games and academics. The study found that Esports student-athletes have a difference of 16.8 average studying hours compared to student gamers. Student gamers have 0.24 higher average hours of playing video games. but the grade point average (GPA) of both groups is 3.23. Esports student-athletes and student gamers do not have the same academic achievement behaviors, but they both are able to have the same academic performance.