Alberta’s first esports arena has been launched at Keyano College in Fort McMurray, Alta.
Housed on Clearwater’s college campus, the fresh $900,000 SMG Esports Arena serves as the Keyano College Huskies esports teams’ new base.
The inception of the esports arena came in 2021 after the college’s determination to attract students to Fort McMurray and retain high school students within the northern Alberta community, said Ben Bramly, the coach of the Keyano Huskies esports team.
“Our goal is to stop local students from migrating to southern Calgary or Edmonton for further studies and keep them within our community,” Bramly mentioned during an interview on CBC’s Radio Active.
Understanding esports
Esports, denoting electronic sports, is a broad term representing competitive video gaming. Both amateur matches and professional play consist of high-caliber players participating in specialized games for varying rewards.
Over the past ten years, the esports industry’s reputation has grown exponentially, with organized competitions filling stadiums and drawing millions of spectators, both online and in person.
By 2024, the esports market’s estimated revenue in Canada is calculated to be around $186 million, as per Statista, a market and consumer data research firm. It’s also predicted that about 15 million users will engage in the esport market via betting, merchandise purchasing, ticketing, and streaming activities by 2028.
In 2022, the Alberta Esports Association, responsible for overseeing provincial esports, unveiled a plan prompting the province to establish itself as a prime hub for esports.
The document suggests that Alberta’s involvement in esports could lead to tourism boost, job creation, and the introduction of rising technologies like virtual reality.
Additionally, the report highlights that Alberta’s suitable educational programs could generate new esports talent while enhancing student experience.
A step forward for students of esports management, claims the college
The new arena’s inception holds significant advantages for students enrolled in the two-year business administration diploma program, specializing in esports management.
“Our two-year diploma program is aimed at enabling students to hone the requisite skills to begin their journey in the industry,” read a statement from the college.
Keyano College offers a two-year business administration diploma with an emphasis on esports management. (Jamie Malbeuf/CBC)
The recent addition includes 26 computers and three console stations, each furnished with a Sony Playstation 5 and Nintendo Switch.
Bramly shared that the program currently has a diverse student body of 20 people comprising both international and domestic attendees.
Bramly reaffirmed that, being a subset of the college’s business administration diploma, the esports management program offers fundamental business courses like marketing, accounting, and project management. Specialized esports-related courses feature event management, production, and content creation.
Bramly further emphasized on the significant growth of esports business, stating,”The esports business sector is expanding dramatically and our program is particularly focused on the business aspects.”
The arena also accommodates community members for tournaments and various other competitions, apart from just student athletes.
Jay Notay, the Keyan College president, expressed his pride in leading the initiation of the province’s first esports arena.
“It’s an honor for us to be among Canada’s pioneer institutions to offer such progressive academic courses and introduce a unique space that encourages the blossoming industry among the younger populace of Wood Buffalo,” asserted Notay in a statement.
Chason Christie, a second year esports management program student, confessed his surprise upon learning about Keyano College’s esports program, which eventually convinced him to move from Toronto and pursue his studies at Fort McMurray-based college.
“I was astounded to find out a school located this far in the west was offering an [esports] program,” Christie shared.
He further expressed his excitement saying, “It’s incredible to see how Canadian schools have embraced esports. We are aiming to set an example here at the college, hoping that others would follow in our footsteps, as esports is decidedly here to stay.”