MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the newly expanded Esports Level Up Arena on campus on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Combined with the signing of a partnership with XP League of Franklin, the university further boosted investment into competitive gaming and the growing career opportunities for students within an exploding industry that isn’t just fun and games.

The official partnership with XP League of Franklin, the largest youth esports league in North America with more than 11,000 kids participating, is the culmination of more than a year’s worth of conversations and collaborations — solidified during a signing ceremony in the Student Union Building atrium attended by students, faculty, staff and administrators.

“Together we are creating a bridge between youth and collegiate esports and expanding opportunities available to students and families throughout our region,” MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee said. “Partnerships like this remind us that the strongest student opportunities are often created when universities and community organizations combine their strengths around a common purpose.”

Under the partnership, XP League of Franklin will provide professional coaching to MTSU student gamers and competitors in its MTSU Esports club, while MTSU will provide the league with weekend space for its middle and high school esports teams to train and compete.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the future,” said XP League of Franklin co-founder Alex Rieffel. “What we’re signing today is simple, but it matters. I’m grateful to MTSU for believing in what we’re building, and I’m looking forward to seeing what our players and your students accomplish together.”

Here’s a video recap of the ceremony:

‘Level up from here’

Located on the first floor of the Student Union Building, next to the North Commons and Phillip’s Bookstore, the Level Up Arena is open to all MTSU students. It is equipped with a casual gaming space, console gaming space and competitive gaming space. The new, larger and more permanent space represents an investment of $258,000 and is designed to serve MTSU students for years to come.

“Today, we are cutting a ribbon — but we are also opening a door: a door to new students, new partnerships, new careers and new possibilities. I cannot wait to see how our students — and our esports program — level up from here,” said Beverly Keel, dean of the Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment.

Esports is competitive video gaming, and like any other sport, there are multiple levels of competition ranging from high school and collegiate to professional teams that compete in front of packed arenas and are broadcast to global audiences.

Last year, MTSU launched two undergraduate concentrations — Esports and Gaming Content Creation housed in the College of Media and Entertainment and Esports Coaching offered by Leisure and Sport Management in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences — a collaborative effort with stakeholders across campus to give students pathways to the needed skills and a degree for an industry that was previously unavailable in the region.

Justin Reed, executive director of administration and strategic initiatives for the Student Affairs Division, added, “We were not simply trying to build a gaming facility. We were creating an environment where students could find their people, develop friendships, discover new interests and establish meaningful connections to MTSU. The technology is important, but it’s not the most important thing in this room — the students are.”

According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual pay for a job in the esports industry in the United States is $156,348. Jobs can range from professional player, content creator and influencer to broadcast manager, social media manager, talent manager, team publicist, assistant coach, events manager, general manager, game analyst, commissioner and more.

Tuesday’s event represents the university’s ongoing investment in esports, the continued growth of competitive gaming as an academic and professional pursuit, and the celebration of the newly expanded Esports Level Up Arena, which relocated from its initial second-floor space due to growing student interest.

“Today is about much more than opening a room; it’s about partnerships, innovation, student success and what can happen when we listen to students, dream big alongside them, collaborate broadly and get creative about bringing their ideas to life,” said Reed.

‘Gold mine of talent’

Kyle Greaney, a video and film production student from Memphis, is the vice president of MTSU Esports. He initially joined the esports club as a freshman in 2023.

“I can confidently say this organization has played a significant role in my life,” he said. “Esports has opened my eyes to career possibilities, introduced me to my closest friends and allowed me to travel and compete against colleges across the country.”

Greaney added that MTSU has a “rare collection of talent” that is hard to come by.

“Esports may look different from traditional athletics, but the mindset behind competition is remarkably similar,” he said. “The drive to improve, to compete, and to push yourself further is just as real in esports as it is in any other sport. We are sitting on a gold mine of talent, and I am excited to see the university’s investment in this top-level skill.”

The story of MTSU’s Level Up Arena first began in 2023 when students approached university administrators with the idea.

“They believed MTSU could become a destination for esports, and they envisioned a dedicated space where students could gather, compete, develop friendships and build community,” said Reed.

Soon, an old computer lab was transformed into the first rendition of the Level Up Arena.

“Our students showed us just how much potential existed,” Reed said. “Students showed up; teams expanded; events grew, and new opportunities emerged. As the program evolved, our vision evolved with it.”

Through esports, Reed said students develop teamwork, communication, leadership, strategic thinking, resilience, technology proficiency, content creation and event management skills.

“More importantly, though, they develop friendships, confidence and a sense of belonging,” he said, adding, “One of the greatest strengths of esports at MTSU is that it’s not confined to a single department. It is a true university-wide, co-curricular collaboration.”

For more information on the Level Up Arena, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/mtunions/levelup/.

— DeAnn Hays ([email protected])