AKRON, Ohio – The city of Akron is investing $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to create two Esports rooms in city community centers, with the first scheduled to open in early summer.
Electronic sports, commonly known as Esports, are competitive video games where individuals or teams of players compete in tournaments for prize money and recognition. As with traditional sports, Esports athletes train and compete at a high level to secure top rankings in the games they play.
The phenomenon has taken off both in the U.S. and abroad. According to a recent Allied Market Research report titled, “Esports Industry,” the Esports market size in the U.S. was valued at $1.3 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $9.2 billion by 2033. Esports have also proliferated colleges nationwide. Locally, both the University of Akron and Kent State University have varsity teams and offer scholarships…