So I've been looking into what I'm going to do after my deployment.. Before I was looking into game programming, but I realized that's not what I really wanted to do. But.. What I do want is a career in e-sports, and I was looking to get a degree in IT, and degree in Business, and as well continue ever growing passion for gaming.

So far I've just sponsored tournaments for the E-sports scene such as:

-For The Love of the Game Tournament
-Tour of Duty Series from gosucoaching.
-Managed Teams, such as sYz- and [AoV].
-Sponsored many show matches and more to come.

More projects are coming up for the SC:BW / SC2 scene as well.

My end goal though is to get into e-sports though but just not sure how. I really hope those two degrees will get me somewhere where i really want to go.

An example of blizzard application is shown in the spoiler.
+ Show Spoiler +

Blizzard Entertainment seeks an enthusiastic, organized, and self-motivated person to help execute our e-sports operations, including both online and live tournaments. The e-sports manager will work with other members of the communityand public relations teams to conceive, plan, organize, and execute competitive tournaments featuring Blizzard Entertainment games. This person may alsowork with e-sports managers atheadquartersin coordinating events and partnerships with third-party e-sports organizers and vendors. Other responsibilities include writing news posts for Blizzard Entertainment websitesand creating promotional materials, as well as various administrative tasks. The e-sports manager will also research trends, keep up with the latest developments in e-sports, and create proposals for future tournament events.

The ideal candidate for this position is an avid gamer familiar with Blizzard Entertainment games with experience running competitive gaming tournaments both online and in live events. Essential attributes include excellent communications and interpersonal skills and an ability to multitask and remain focused in high-pressure situations. In addition, the e-sports manager must be highly self-motivated and enthusiastic about competitive gaming.

Responsibilities

* Managing operations forlive and online events in China.
* Establish tournament rules, and manage referees for each event.
* Research trends in competitive gaming.
* Write news posts and promotional copiesfor Blizzard Entertainment tournaments.
* Create graphics and designs for promotional materials and prizes.
* Develop web-based assets.
* Extensive travel, both domestically and internationally.
* Other responsibilities, as assigned.

Requirements

* A minimum of 3years experience organizing and/or participating in online and LAN gaming competitions
* Knowledge of competitive gaming, pro-gaming, ladders, and tournaments
* Familiar with common tournament formats (dbl. elim./swiss/round robin/etc.)
* Moderate mathematical background in statistics
* Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
* Ableto interface effectively with both gamers and businesspeople
* Excellent organizational, and task-management skills
* Self-motivated and able to multitask effectively
* Able to work overtime and weekends, and able to travel as needed
* Experience working with 2D logos and Photoshop
* Working knowledge of HTML
* Excellent communications skills in written and spoken Mandarin, as well as English

What do you guys think, how one should try to get into the e-sports scene/career?

Chill

Calgary25980 Posts

January 25 2011 22:56 GMT

I'd advise you to keep it as a hobby, but work at it like a job. Then if you become successful you can switch over. Esportsing isn't going to take 8 hours a day anyways, it can easily be handled evenings and weekends.

Xeris

Iran17695 Posts

January 25 2011 23:04 GMT

Second Chill's post -- don't come into this thinking "I want this to be my job," if you work hard at what you do, enjoy it, and are good at it, the benefits will come.

Stenstyren

Sweden619 Posts

January 25 2011 23:04 GMT

If you look at that application you need extensive previous experience in organizing tournaments etc. as Chill said, keep it as a hobby for a few years, perhaps get involved with something like MLG/IEM/TLOpens and work the scene from home for a while.

When you have more proven experience, apply for a full time position. Beware that these positions are likely to be filled without advertisement though, a tournament like MLG will hire people they like from the community over having an open application process.

Btw, the blizzard application requires knowledge of Mandarin and that is one though language to learn. Is this a requirement for all Blizzard e-sports personnel or simply for this single position?

TheHunksta

United States122 Posts

January 25 2011 23:05 GMT

I'm guessing that position specifically is for the Warcraft 3 market or something.

sYz-Adrenaline

United States1850 Posts

January 25 2011 23:06 GMT

I quite agree with all of you, I wasn't expecting to hop into an career in the field immeadiatly after college, While in college I hop to attend to events such as MLG and stuff, see if I can help out in anyway, maybe get picked up to run something, who knows.

edit: I was also just using the blizzard application as an example.

emperorchampion

Canada9496 Posts

January 25 2011 23:22 GMT

On January 26 2011 08:06 sYz-Adrenaline wrote:
I quite agree with all of you, I wasn't expecting to hop into an career in the field immeadiatly after college, While in college I hop to attend to events such as MLG and stuff, see if I can help out in anyway, maybe get picked up to run something, who knows.

edit: I was also just using the blizzard application as an example.

I think this is a good approach. Volunteer your time, make a name for yourself- then if you still want to maybe you can make a career out of it. As for any career of this type, reputation is probably the most important factor. If not, you still have whatever you went to college for to fall back upon. Also, if you go to college in a media related position, then what you learn can also be applicable to the job you are hoping for.

I think JP's path went a little like that. From what I know, he went to school for journalism, got hired by MLG for WoW (I think), then started to run the SC2 division once it came out. As well, if you look at any big enterprise in SC2 they all started as small side projects for the most part, Day[9] dailies, State of the Game, ect.

tree.hugger

Philadelphia, PA10406 Posts

January 26 2011 01:28 GMT

Good luck! For nearly everyone who actually gets paid for esports-related work, it seems they stumbled into it after doing a lot of volunteer work initially. "ESPORTS" isn't enough of a real industry to make secure and readily available jobs for people, it seems like you have to make your own way.

That's what a bunch of people have already said, but you've sponsored good stuff in the past, and you're probably well on your way.

M155_G33k

United States470 Posts

January 26 2011 02:34 GMT

It would be cool to do that I think. You could use those degrees to get closer to that kinda job but still be able to work some where else at the same time. Maybe open a computer repair shop or (like I wanna ^_^) a LAN center. Its a good idea to get those degrees under your belt and probably not the best idea to go into game programing since thats a wicked hard field to get into I hear. I'm sure by the time you get back and go to school and get out of school... you'll still have no idea what to do ^_^ mainly cause no one really does ;D

kerlin

United States1 Post

February 09 2011 07:54 GMT

#10

Competitive gaming has been around a long time on the PC with professional Starcraft leagues or tournaments for games like Quake and Counter-Strike. The Xbox 360 has made competitive gaming much more popular in recent years with the pro-gaming console league Major League Gaming, or MLG for short, and has begun to be classified as a sport by many gamers. Even sports news coverage, such as ESPN, have bought into this new fad called E-Sports (electronic sports) and now covers MLG games on their website and even sometimes mentions it on Sportscenter. But is this attention justified?