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Collegiate esports programs are becoming more separated by gender as they expand, according to a new study from researchers at the North Carolina State University program in communication, rhetoric and digital media.
The qualitative study found that while club esports programs are more supportive of gender diversity, varsity esports teams that compete with other colleges are “dominated by men,” a press release about the study article said. It is well-known in gaming that professional esports leagues are “overwhelmingly male-dominated” as well, the article said. The findings are based on 21 interviews with leaders of college esports programs and were published in the journal Critical Studies in Media Communication.
“These gender disparities are being fueled by the drive to professionalize collegiate esports through intensive investment; what one participant described as a collegiate esports ‘gold rush,’” the article said. “Getting top-ranked players wins out over the more risky project of actively cultivating (more diverse) talent.”
