Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Ball State University Debuts Esports Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/06/21

Ball State University, located in Muncie, Ind., held a virtual ribbon cutting for its new Esports Center this week. The ceremony was livestreamed on the BSU website on Monday, April 5. The 3,600-square-foot facility will serve as the home of the College of Communication, Information, and Media’s new Esports program.

The Ball State Esports team is one of 12 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), a branch of the nascent, independent Esports Collegiate Conference. The conference features divisions in the popular video games League of Legends, Rocket League, and Overwatch.

Ball State University Esports Center

“We’re ecstatic to officially unveil our new home,” said the director of Ball State’s Esports program, Dan Marino. “At Ball State, our beautiful campus is our canvas. This Esports Center is our University’s latest addition, which improves the sense of place for our students.”

According to a press release, the Esports Center (located in the Robert Bell Building on campus) features amenities like:

  • Computers for varsity team and educational use
  • An Elevated Gameplay platform that accommodates 6 vs. 6 gaming competitions
  • Stadium seating with a capacity of 50
  • Interactive classroom with a smart display
  • A lounge area with video-game consoles
  • A control room for live, multicamera, and gameplay streaming of events and competitions
  • Administrative offices for the esports director and graduate assistants

The Dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media, Dr. Paaige Turner, said of the new facility, “Our program and new facilities will help us achieve our goal of enhancing academic offerings by bringing esports experiences into curricula across multiple disciplines including digital sports production, business, computer sciences, animation, and sport administration.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Missouri Child Development Center Completes $2.3M Expansion

    The Urban Sprouts Child Development Center in St. Louis, Mo., recently announced the completion of a $2.3-million expansion and adaptive reuse project, according to a news release. The new space includes a retail café, outdoor learning space, and a support office building.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.