Question
At the Esports Job Fair
Teen Channel: Sports Extra
Maikol Brito tracked the action of the Overwatch match across multiple computer monitors. The grunts of clashing avatars filled his headphones, punctuated by commands among his teammates. Meanwhile, his hand expertly guided his mouse to anticipate the frenzy and flow of the game.
But Brito wasn't trying to clinch a win for his team. Instead, he was managing a crew of "observers." They are the virtual camera operators who capture the action of live esports events for streaming audiences worldwide.
Brito has turned his work ethic and love of gaming into a paycheck. He has worked as lead observer and senior league operations associate. For a long time, his parents doubted the wisdom of pursuing a career in esports, Brito told NBC News. But his success opened their eyes to the opportunities in a new and growing industry. Their reaction was, "You have a career," Brito said.
The Rise of Esports
From League of Legends to Rocket League, gaming has often been stigmatized as a mind-withering distraction for lackadaisical teens. But a funny thing happened while critics were grumbling about "kids these days!": Online streaming transformed gaming into a global industry. In the process, esports has spawned a variety of new careers.
Like Sonic the Hedgehog's top speed, the meteoric rise of esports is difficult to overstate. Global revenues for the sector exceeded $1.1 billion in 2021, according to market analysts. They are projected to surpass $3.5 billion by 2027. That growth is driven by an ardent livestreaming fan base—more than 450 million viewers in 2021. That doesn't include all the spectators who pack arenas to watch tournaments on larger-than-life jumbotrons.
Esports Career Tracks
Elite professional esports players and teams get most of the fanfare, not to mention prize money and lucrative corporate sponsorships. But their success relies on an entire esports ecosystem of labor.
Excluding pro players, there are four main esports career tracks, according to the North America Scholastic Esports Federation:
Strategists: This group includes analysts who explain game objectives and strategies for the audience, as well as coaches who prepare teams for competition.
Content creators: This path is a fit for creative types—those who like to write, draw, and code. Video game designers and developers belong here, as do journalists, graphic designers, videographers, and observers. This is also the place for "shoutcasters," announcers who deliver play-by-play commentary during esports livestreams.
Organizers: At any esports event, there are a million details that require attention. These responsibilities fall to event managers, network engineers, and staff. They are the tech wizards behind the scenes at every esports tournament.
Entrepreneurs: These are the people who manage the business end of esports. They get sponsors, negotiate deals, and execute marketing plans.
An Education in Esports
For many esports fans, such career paths can infuse their educational objectives with purpose. And more schools are taking notice. Esports clubs are popping up in schools like mushrooms in Super Mario Bros., often initiated by students themselves. Beyond high school, there are some 175 varsity esports programs at U.S. colleges and universities. The number of esports degree programs for those interested in the business side of the industry is growing, as well. Gaming companies also offer internships. These positions allow people curious about esports careers to level up their IRL (in-real-life) skills and see if the industry is a good fit.
Chris Aviles is the esports coordinator for a New Jersey school district. He says the energy of esports has rippled throughout school communities there, and not just for gamers. "Our district's not only investing in esports but also in STEM," he told Edtech Magazine. "You can't be serious about STEM jobs without being serious about esports, because that's where a lot of these jobs are going to be."
Think about and discuss these questions:
What facts from the article support the idea that a career in esports could be a good choice?
Which career in esports sounds most (or least) interesting to you and why?
Video credit: NASEF
Question 1
1 / 8
In the first paragraph, the author presents a description of Maikol Brito's maneuvers during an esports match in order to __________.
illustrate that the noise and fast-paced play of esports are barriers to expanding its fan base
highlight an example of a lesser-known job that is essential to streaming esports matches
argue that the job of esports observers is more challenging than that of the elite players
demonstrate how tactics adopted by an esports team can ensure it will prevail in a match
Teen Channel: Sports Extra
Maikol Brito tracked the action of the Overwatch match across multiple computer monitors. The grunts of clashing avatars filled his headphones, punctuated by commands among his teammates. Meanwhile, his hand expertly guided his mouse to anticipate the frenzy and flow of the game.
But Brito wasn't trying to clinch a win for his team. Instead, he was managing a crew of "observers." They are the virtual camera operators who capture the action of live esports events for streaming audiences worldwide.
Brito has turned his work ethic and love of gaming into a paycheck. He has worked as lead observer and senior league operations associate. For a long time, his parents doubted the wisdom of pursuing a career in esports, Brito told NBC News. But his success opened their eyes to the opportunities in a new and growing industry. Their reaction was, "You have a career," Brito said.
The Rise of Esports
From League of Legends to Rocket League, gaming has often been stigmatized as a mind-withering distraction for lackadaisical teens. But a funny thing happened while critics were grumbling about "kids these days!": Online streaming transformed gaming into a global industry. In the process, esports has spawned a variety of new careers.
Like Sonic the Hedgehog's top speed, the meteoric rise of esports is difficult to overstate. Global revenues for the sector exceeded $1.1 billion in 2021, according to market analysts. They are projected to surpass $3.5 billion by 2027. That growth is driven by an ardent livestreaming fan base—more than 450 million viewers in 2021. That doesn't include all the spectators who pack arenas to watch tournaments on larger-than-life jumbotrons.
Esports Career Tracks
Elite professional esports players and teams get most of the fanfare, not to mention prize money and lucrative corporate sponsorships. But their success relies on an entire esports ecosystem of labor.
Excluding pro players, there are four main esports career tracks, according to the North America Scholastic Esports Federation:
Strategists: This group includes analysts who explain game objectives and strategies for the audience, as well as coaches who prepare teams for competition.
Content creators: This path is a fit for creative types—those who like to write, draw, and code. Video game designers and developers belong here, as do journalists, graphic designers, videographers, and observers. This is also the place for "shoutcasters," announcers who deliver play-by-play commentary during esports livestreams.
Organizers: At any esports event, there are a million details that require attention. These responsibilities fall to event managers, network engineers, and staff. They are the tech wizards behind the scenes at every esports tournament.
Entrepreneurs: These are the people who manage the business end of esports. They get sponsors, negotiate deals, and execute marketing plans.
An Education in Esports
For many esports fans, such career paths can infuse their educational objectives with purpose. And more schools are taking notice. Esports clubs are popping up in schools like mushrooms in Super Mario Bros., often initiated by students themselves. Beyond high school, there are some 175 varsity esports programs at U.S. colleges and universities. The number of esports degree programs for those interested in the business side of the industry is growing, as well. Gaming companies also offer internships. These positions allow people curious about esports careers to level up their IRL (in-real-life) skills and see if the industry is a good fit.
Chris Aviles is the esports coordinator for a New Jersey school district. He says the energy of esports has rippled throughout school communities there, and not just for gamers. "Our district's not only investing in esports but also in STEM," he told Edtech Magazine. "You can't be serious about STEM jobs without being serious about esports, because that's where a lot of these jobs are going to be."
Think about and discuss these questions:
What facts from the article support the idea that a career in esports could be a good choice?
Which career in esports sounds most (or least) interesting to you and why?
Video credit: NASEF
Question 1
1 / 8
In the first paragraph, the author presents a description of Maikol Brito's maneuvers during an esports match in order to __________.
illustrate that the noise and fast-paced play of esports are barriers to expanding its fan base
highlight an example of a lesser-known job that is essential to streaming esports matches
argue that the job of esports observers is more challenging than that of the elite players
demonstrate how tactics adopted by an esports team can ensure it will prevail in a match
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is:
**highlight an example of a lesser-known job that is essential to streaming esports matches.**
This choice reflects the focus on Maikol Brito's role as an observer and how this position contributes to the overall experience of watching esports, showcasing an important, yet often overlooked, aspect of the industry.
**highlight an example of a lesser-known job that is essential to streaming esports matches.**
This choice reflects the focus on Maikol Brito's role as an observer and how this position contributes to the overall experience of watching esports, showcasing an important, yet often overlooked, aspect of the industry.