Esports has been rising in popularity, reaching viewership levels of more than 640 million people in 2025, according to Demandsage. Becoming a part of entertainment culture worldwide, the esports industry will only continue to grow exponentially based on experts’ projections.
Esports competitions host many varieties of video games. Some of the most popular tend to be first-person shooters (FPS) such as “Valorant,” “Counter-Strike 2” and “Overwatch.” The newest contender, “Marvel Rivals,” has gained immense traction in the short duration of its release, capturing the attention of gamers worldwide. Other games, including multiplayer online battle arena video games (MOBA), such as League, and battle royales, such as Fortnite, are tremendously popular as well.
Sacramento local Gordon Hinkle, a tournament organizer and president of the College Esports International (CESI) organization, offers students esports tournaments and programs.
Hinkle hosts a number of programs that are beneficial for individuals looking to get into the Esports scene. Some of these include an esports academy hosted abroad for students looking to travel. Highlighting the educational part of his program, he teaches about the technical support, setup, and running of the events in addition to participating in the games.
More locally, he is offering a competition for the Esports Bear Cup at the California State Fair in the Cal Expo at the end of July. The three games offered to compete in are Super Smash Bros, Rocket League and FGC Comp.
Gordon offers his words of advice for new people looking to get into the esports community.
“I would say just jump in and find a club that’s playing. Even if you’re not going to join the team, there’s always a place for people to find a role to play. Most college campuses have a club and tryouts for different games. Just get involved in the club for fun because you’re going to network and meet great people. If you know there is a lot of interest on your campus and you don’t have a club yet, just form one,” he said.
Additionally, Hinkle helps students interested in forming esports clubs by calling campuses and supporting the formation of a team. They also offer esports scholarships for student housing and tuition.
“Don’t be afraid to jump in. If there is an existing club, tap into that, and if not, don’t be afraid to create a club,” Hinkle said.
CESI dedicates a percentage of its funding to local youth groups in California, emphasizing its commitment to the community. Their latest esports youth night had all proceeds going to various positive causes, including funding the construction of houses for those in need of residency in Mexico.
Looking for other gamers? Connect with other gamers at Sacramento City College through its various college Discord servers.
