Waterford High School started its esports team in 2017-18. Burlington High School and Union Grove High School both started their teams in fall 2019.

Scholarships up for grabs

According to McGuire, at the beginning of the 2018 school year, there were 128 colleges/universities offering approximately $15 million in scholarships related to esports. In five years, that number is expected to rise to 800 colleges/universities and $100 million in scholarships.

“The passage of this bill would be a critical step in positioning Wisconsin as a leader in the global esports industry,” said James O’Hagan, Racine educator and founder of the Academy of Esports.

“With a projected $100 million in collegiate scholarships by 2023, the funds in this bill will ensure equitable access to this extraordinary opportunity for our state’s students and place Wisconsin at the forefront of the national conversation about education and esports.”

In December, Gateway Technical College announced that it planned to start an esports club in January, becoming just the second technical college in the state to offer esports.

Gateway officials said a team will be created from club members to compete against other college and high school teams.