Competition at its core of esports
In a significant move to prepare students for the rapidly growing esports industry, Long Beach City College (LBCC) has opened the largest esports lab in Southern California. The state-of-the-art facility, named the LBCC E-Sports Lab, was built between March and July 2024 and soft-opened to students during the Fall 2024 semester.
The lab, conceptualized by Chris Greenwood and Mayra Aguilar, project managers for LBCC's Educational and Multimedia Technology, with help from Gabe Giangualano, LBCC's director of esports, is part of a commitment to prepare students for emerging career opportunities in gaming.
The LBCC E-Sports Lab is designed to provide an inclusive environment for students, aiding skills development in various aspects of esports. Students at LBCC learn to cast and publish games as part of their education. The lab is equipped with 47 Alienware gaming stations and five teaching stations for coaches or instructors. Five tracking PTZ cameras cover the players in the lab, and the lab's AV content is streamed through the lab's standard 1 Gbps Ethernet switches.
The lab's AV system, featuring Extron products for AV switching, signal distribution, and operational control, allows for routing video from any gaming station to any of the large 4K video displays in the room. Extron MGP 641 xi multi-window processors can display up to four source windows on a single screen, simplifying the lab's wiring and AV installation with PoE capability.
California's HPI Architecture, P2S Engineering, and EKC Enterprises played key roles in the AV design, room layout, and AV system installation. The facility features an optimized lighting system, a shoutcaster production booth for live broadcasting, and an independent operational infrastructure.
The lab is used for hosting esports competitions that are streamed to the outside world. By taking part in esports at LBCC, students can potentially lead to scholarships at four-year universities and careers in technology, broadcasting, and game development.
Key career paths within the esports industry include Esports Coach or Strategist, Game Designer, Developer, and Tester, Community Manager and Social Media Specialist, Streamer / Content Creator, Videographer and Editor, Event Coordinator and Project Manager, Esports Journalist and Announcer, Specialized Creative Roles, Tech and IT Roles Bridging Esports and Cybersecurity, and more.
With many colleges with esports programs offering education and hands-on experience relevant to these roles, students can leverage campus resources and networking opportunities to prepare for jobs with game studios, esports teams, event companies, media outlets, and tech startups active in the esports ecosystem. Salaries vary by role and location, with reported averages such as approximately $50,000 per year for videographers and $53,000 for social media specialists, indicating viable career options beyond direct gameplay.
Overall, esports programs at colleges serve as launching pads toward diverse jobs in game design, broadcasting, event management, community engagement, and strategic coaching within the expanding esports industry. LBCC is pleased with the outcome of the space, according to Diltz. The LBCC E-Sports Lab has been a success.
[1] Esports Industry Report [2] Esports Jobs Report [3] Esports and Cybersecurity [4] Esports Careers [5] Esports Event Management
- The esports lab at Long Beach City College (LBCC) is designed to prepare students for diverse careers in the rapidly growing esports industry, including roles in game design, broadcasting, event management, and strategic coaching.
- By learning to cast and publish games as part of their education, students at LBCC can potentially lead to scholarships and careers in technology, broadcasting, and game development.
- The lab, equipped with 47 Alienware gaming stations and five teaching stations, is used for hosting esports competitions that are streamed to the outside world, providing students with hands-on experience in event management.
- With many colleges offering esports programs, students can leverage campus resources and networking opportunities to prepare for jobs with game studios, esports teams, event companies, media outlets, and tech startups active in the esports ecosystem, with reported averages such as approximately $50,000 per year for videographers and $53,000 for social media specialists.
