The SIU Carbondale campus now has a new arena.
Walking past the north end of the SIU Student Center you’ll see something a bit different.
After two years of planning and construction, the SIU E-sports Arena is open and ready for competition.
“All across the United States there’s probably about 280 right now that actually host their teams and we’ll be one of those.”
Associate Director of the Student Center Kent Epplin says the $75,000 facility offers 12 Alienware computers for competition and console-style gaming for the popular live streamed global competitions.
Some colleges are starting to offer scholarships to e-sport players.
“Basically, there’s no boundaries for esports really, it’s not that you have to be an athlete in a particular sport to have a skill, it’s basically whatever your best at.”
Professional teams and individuals across the world compete in championship tournaments where the top prize can net the winners millions of dollars.
“It’s one of the highest grossing prize sports out there over the NFL, over the national baseball league, soccer league whatever it might be.”
Epplin says they currently have over 20 games for students to compete on with and will keep adding more
The idea for the arena was initiated by the late Chancellor Carlo Montemagno.
The hourly cost to use the arena is $3 for students, $3.50 for faculty and staff and $4 for the general public.
