Playing League of Legends can now land you a scholarship

The future of college sports is League of Legends. At least, according to Robert Morris University, who will be adding the game to their athletic program. The Robert Morris University Illinois Eagles will be competing alongside 103 other schools in the Collegiate Star League this upcoming season, but they’ll be unique in that they’re offering scholarships worth up to 50 percent tuition and 50 percent room and board to “qualified” gamers. That’s as much as $19,000 per student. “Robert Morris University has always been at the forefront of providing opportunities for a diverse student population with different interests and skills,” said associate athletic director Kurt Melcher. “League of Legends is a competitive, challenging game which requires significant amount of teamwork to be successful.” The school’s League players will be student athletes, complete with the requisite perks like “coaching, staff support, tutoring, and scholarships.” That’s a first in collegiate esports, where teams are usually student-based initiatives born from gaming clubs or a particularly competitive group of players or friends. Colleges aren’t the only major organizations to recognize esports as a legitimate sport. Midway through last year the United States gave its seal of approval by issuing athletic visas for esports players. Universities are a natural next step with so much of the student body participating in video games.