eSports

Birmingham Public Schools

Why Esports?

Esports is a category of competitive sports taking the form of online multiplayer video game competitions.

Esports is taking the world by storm. Some of the top teams are worth millions and the industry has been expanding to colleges and high schools for a few years now.

Credit: Statista

Scholarships

• Over $15 million awarded to college students last year in esports.
• National and local Universities and Colleges have Esports teams

Careers

• Art
• Audio
• Engineering
• Data
• Esports
• Finance
• Marketing
• Facilities
• IT
• Game Design
• Legal
• Writing
• Publishing
• Quality Assurance

Education

• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Increased Academic and Social Engagement
• Exploration of STEM Concepts and Career Paths
• Improved Brain Function and Capabilities

Is it a Sport?

Yes, it’s a sport!

• The skill gap between a beginner and a professional is immense
• Many of the techniques and strategies of these games are constantly growing (the Meta)
• Skills associated with reaction time, dexterity, and critical thinking

For those that say No…

• How do we define athleticism?
• From an outside perspective, it is difficult to gauge what’s going on
• Gaming as a whole may not be a sport, but specific games can be

Photo by Florian Olivo on Unsplash

Athletic Policy & Procedures

Esports is an Intramural Sport in MS and a Winter Varsity Sport in HS

Participants in Esports are expected to follow BPS Athletic Code of Conduct and eligibility requirements.

• Pay to Play Fees
• High School $200 (Estimated)
• Middle School $80

Who is MHSEL?

MHSEL is hosted by Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) and the Michigan Association of Student Councils & Honors Societies (MASC/MAHS) in partnership with PlayVS. Our mission is to provide safe, competitive, and curricular environments that allow student athletes the opportunity to build critical skill sets, explore vast career paths, and contribute to their school culture within varsity esports. Our vision is to be Michigan's elite high school esports league.

BPS has Partnered with Michigan High School Esports League (MHSEL)

Birmingham Esports Stats

Middle School

• Over 30 Athletes Inaugural 2023-2024 Season
• Top 20 finishes in the regular season in Super Smash

High School

• 16 Athletes Inaugural 2023-2024 Season
• Super Smash and Splatoon 3 Teams made Playoffs

The Games!

PlayVS & LeagueSpot

• PlayVS is an organization that structures brackets, scheduling, communication, etc.
• PlayVS partnered with the NFHS in 2018, and that means PlayVS is the only place to play recognized, varsity-level esports.
• Includes a dashboard where students and parents can spectate and keep track of everything happening in the league.

The Schedule

High School Schedule

Weekly Schedule

​

• Tues: League of Legends, Splatoon™ 3
• Wed: Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate, NBA 2K, Overwatch
• Thurs: Rocket League, Madden, Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe, Hearthstone

​

• Example Season Dates
• Preseason: Feb 5, 2024 - Feb 12. 2024
• Regular: Feb 19, 2024 - April 8, 2024
• Playoffs: April 15, 2024 - April 26, 2024
• State Championship: Week of April 29, 2024
• A Fall Exhibition Season is offered at the MS and HS
• Matches start at 4pm

Sample Schedule

The Gear

• BPS will be working with online vendors for uniforms
• For now, uniforms and gear will be optional and available for purchase
• Uniforms and gear will incorporate logos and colors related to the school
• Esportsgear.com is the current vendor

​

​

Questions?

Digital Info Packet