In context: If the immense popularity of games like Fortnite, Overwatch, and League of Legends wasn't proof enough that the eSports industry is starting to become a more serious rival to traditional sports, today's news might fit the bill. eSports group Torque Esports is teaming up with Activision Blizzard to produce Overwatch's all-new "Collegiate Clash" tournament.
Collegiate Clash will pit several college eSports teams against each other. Eight teams will compete every week, for a total of eight weeks – that means roughly 64 colleges in total will be taking part in this tournament. The grand prize for each of the winning teams will be $40,000, but that money won't go directly into the players' pockets.
Instead, it will be granted to each school in the form of scholarship funds. These scholarships will be used to "further eSports" at each winning school.
Presumably, this should help high school graduates pay their way through college and perhaps even go pro someday. Though being an eSports pro doesn't necessarily pay as well as being a top-tier football player, it's still a fairly lucrative field; especially when combined with a streaming career.
Overwatch's Collegiate Clash will be streamed live over at Torque Esports' official "UMG Gaming" Twitch channel. The tournament is expected to kick in late March, which means it should finish up toward the end of May.