"Something tangible at last": Division One Esports sets new standard

Collegiate esports has long been full of promise. Still, leaders across the space have often pointed to the same challenges: inconsistent scheduling, lack of visibility, and a missing sense of legitimacy that traditional athletics take for granted. Division One Esports was created to change that. The directors behind the league see it as the most important step yet in making collegiate competition a true destination for players, fans, and universities alike.

For many programs, the draw is simple: stability and professionalism. After years of working in fragmented circuits, Division One finally offers what West Virginia University’s Josh Steger calls “something tangible that people can follow throughout the year.” Matches are no longer shifting at the last minute, programs are equally invested, and a central hub gives fans a reason to tune in week after week. Boise State’s Dr. Chris Haskell echoes that sentiment, pointing to the league as a framework that balances competitive excellence with the educational missions of its member schools.

That framework opens doors to something more: storytelling. Directors emphasized that professionalism and consistency only matter if they also create space for human narratives. The University of Utah’s A.J. Dimick pointed to the opportunity to showcase players as people, not just competitors: “With Division One, we are able to join forces and keep doing that on a much higher level … to tell human stories, student challenges, and bring collegiate esports to light to our audiences in ways we could not before.” At WVU, those stories are already extending beyond the screen, as students in the school’s esports business and entertainment program gain hands-on roles in content production, event management and broadcasts.

Infrastructure also plays a central role in that vision. Leaders agree that legitimacy comes from giving fans and administrators the same kind of tools they would expect in traditional sports. At Stony Brook, Kevin Craig points to stat tracking and visibility systems as the missing pieces that transform matches into narratives fans can follow. At Ohio State, John Price connected those investments to a larger challenge: the lack of centralized information. “The lack of centralized information makes it extremely difficult to showcase the hard work done by players, student staff, and volunteers,” he said. “Elevating the fan experience is one of many reasons why we wanted to work with Division One.”

For other programs, Division One represents an aspirational leap. Maryville University’s Daniel Clerke highlighted the chance to innovate on fan experience while raising production standards: “Division One aligns with my vision for collegiate esports because it provides a place that like-minded programs can work together.” He pointed to data and broadcast quality as turning points for the space, while partnerships with DarkZero and Dragonsteel signal his belief that collegiate competition can eventually replace the tier-two esports ecosystem as the launchpad for professional careers.

That same ambition resonates at Winthrop University, where questions from administrators, alumni and fans have long centered on how to follow the program. Director Josh Sides said Division One’s structure finally offers a solution. “Helping to build a core competition with other top like-minded programs allows us to plan and create content and community engagement and gives our fans a consistent schedule and source of information on how to follow along with our season,” he explained.

North of the border, St. Clair College sees Division One as a proving ground for programs unwilling to settle for average. Director Shaun Byrne described the league as a natural extension of the school’s holistic approach — excelling in competition, broadcasting, facilities and content. “There’s nobody in Division One content with aiming for average, we are all programs that intend to push each other to be better in and out of game,” Byrne said. He added that rivalries among top programs will only accelerate growth: “Programs like those in D1 are who we look at as rivals in collegiate esports because they challenge us to be better in every way.”

Taken together, the directors agree that Division One is more than just another competition. It is a shared vision for what collegiate esports can become when programs pool their resources, raise the competitive bar, and treat storytelling and production with the same weight as gameplay. From Utah’s emphasis on narrative, to Stony Brook and Ohio State’s call for legitimacy, to WVU’s integration with academics, to Maryville’s push toward aspirational standards, to Winthrop and St. Clair’s demand for higher competition — the message is clear: Collegiate esports is ready for its next chapter, and Division One is built to write it.