For those who haven’t already heard of the National Collegiate e-Sports Association (NCeSPA), go check them out here. Their stated goal is to (from website):

…elevate the college experience of student gamers by providing an alternative medium to high-level competition. We want to reduce the burden of deciding between higher education and competitive gaming and work with student gamers and their schools to develop and maintain an infrastructure that will provide the resources for student gamers to achieve their goals.

So basically a structured, competitive environment for student gamers minus the pressure of professional interests. Personally, I like it. Most gamers will never “go pro,” but as eSports continues to thrive, the existence of a collegiate entity similar to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA )is material. Not that NCeSPA has designs on being the NCAA of eSports but they are somewhat analogous.

Of course this brings the subject of amateurism under question. In other words, what is the legal definition of an amateur in the eSports arena? What separates a pro from an amateur in the eyes of the law? The answer to these matter. Even if, from the perspective of NCeSPA, this might not be an issue, yet. However, as the number of opportunities to play for pay (go pro) increase this is a subject that needs to be tackled.

In the United States today, the concept and history of amateurism has become obfuscated by the often ludicrous sums of money spent on and made by sports programs at the collegiate level. Today’s battle is less about maintaining the interests of student athletes and more about protecting the cash cow that is major collegiate sports (football, basketball, baseball, etc.). So while eSports is light years away from that battlefield, there are several parallels:

• Eligibility – On what grounds would a student become ineligible to participate in activities sanctioned by associations like NCeSPA?
• International borders – How does amateur classification apply to students who emigrate from abroad?
• eSports scholarships – A small but increasingly relevant topic. Who can and can’t apply and receive aid? Given the brief playing careers of pro gamers, are they allowed to return to school and apply for eSports scholarships?

As the industry (see: financial viability) of eSports grows, these issues loom large. Once again, it quickly becomes a legal discussion. A fact that can discourage dialogue among us non-lawyers. Which is a shame, to be honest. So I’d love to hear from anyone with additional experience or insight.

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Alex Fletcher is founder & president at eSports Group, where he helps customers meet their eSports advisory & consulting needs. When Alex isn’t glued to a screen, he spends time with his wife, their two dogs, and pretends to learn Polish. Feel free to stalk him on Twitter – @FletchUnleashed