UTEP expands esports program; EPCC launches its own
by Daniel Perez September 9, 2025
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A 1990 “Far Side” cartoon shows a mother and father proudly observing their son who is seated on the floor playing video games. In the background is a thought balloon where both consider his future as a highly paid video game expert.
In the want ads of the parents’ dreams, employers dangle salaries of anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000. Included in the deals are signing bonuses, company cars, retirement plans, free lodging and four-day work weeks.
In today’s world, some of those salaries might be too low when it comes to industry engineers, programmers and lead designers. As for the players, the best of the best recently earned $7 million in winnings, not including sponsorships.
Electronic sports, or esports, which is competitive video gaming, continues to grow nationally and internationally in revenue, viewership and professionalization. The national accounting firm of BDO USA expects esports to achieve a global revenue of $4.8 billion this year and reach $5.9 billion by 2029. DemandSage, which studies marketing and revenue operations, reported that esports viewership jumped to 640 million people this year compared with about 435.7 million viewers five years ago.
The need to prepare the next generation of esport designers and/or players is among the reasons that the University of Texas at El Paso has expanded its esports program, and why El Paso Community College announced Monday that it will start its program this fall.
“I enjoy the competition to be the best,” said Edgar Medina, a senior operations and supply chain management major at UTEP. The student, a video games player since age 4, is among the leaders of the university’s newly formed UTEP esports team. “I want to achieve at the highest level.”
Medina, 22, spent part of a recent Friday afternoon talking about the institution’s journey from support for gamers around 10 years ago to the formation of a UTEP recreation center club in fall 2024 to this semester’s establishment of an official esports team that will represent the university in the National Esports Collegiate Conference.
The NECC is the largest college esports operation with upwards of 30,000 active participants who represent more than 500 colleges and universities.
Medina spoke outside the team’s “arena,” Room 218 in UTEP’s Undergraduate Learning Center on Wiggins Way. The room’s dark interior was lit by a blue hue from computer monitors and two 77-inch screens where players practiced the likes of “Mario Kart 8,” “Roblox,” “League of Legends” and “Overwatch.” The team has ordered additional monitors and expects them to be installed later this semester.
Esport games, which are played by individuals or teams virtually or in-person, require strategic thinking, quick decisions, effective communication and fine motor control. Experts add that players need to maintain physical and mental fitness to perform well.
Medina, co-captain of the esports “Valorant” team, said video game participation has helped him develop tenacity as well as leadership, communication and time management skills, which have helped him academically.
Mark Johnson, UTEP’s recreational sports coordinator for intramural and club sports, said the students led the drive in spring 2024 to join the NECC. Tryouts brought out approximately 70 students. The top 27 will represent UTEP in tournaments that involve “Overwatch,” “Valorant,” “Rocket League” and “Marvel Rivals.”
The league’s seven-week fall season begins Monday, Sept. 15. There also is a spring season followed by summer tournaments.
The rest of the players can participate in other league divisions as members of the affiliated “EP Honey Badgers” recreation center club team. These other divisions are akin to development leagues.
Johnson said he learned about esports management while earning a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado. He supported the students’ drive for NECC status because he saw their level of talent, desire and camaraderie, and because he wanted UTEP to advance in the esports world.
“Why not give the students a platform to show off what they can do,” he said.
Johnson stated that the team members initially are sharing expenses with the rec center at this point, and that he expects the team to be able to perform within a $5,000 budget. The money would go toward team jerseys, esports room upkeep and NECC fees. Matches can be viewed on a UTEP Twitch video streaming platform.
As UTEP esports prepares for its first matches, EPCC announced its esports plans during a news conference Monday in its Administrative Services Center Auditorium, 9050 Viscount Blvd.
Carlos Amaya, EPCC’s vice president of Student and Enrollment Services, said the college’s Student Government Association requested an esports program a year or so ago. College officials discussed the possibility with video game companies, consultants and players, as well as members of the college’s finance, athletics, physical plant, student services, and information technology departments.
The college approved the program to give students a “real-world experience” with esports that included game categories, professional roles of teams, players and coaches, as well as the business side of tournaments to include sponsorships.
“This is something that students are looking for, and we’re keeping up with technology,” said Amaya, who added that the team will start tournament play soon. It will join the Athletic Department’s cross country, half marathon, softball and baseball teams.
“We’re excited about this,” Amaya said during a phone interview prior to the news conference. “It’s been a long time coming.”
EPCC joined the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports Tier 3, and will compete with 200 other institutions in various games. As of early September, the Tejano Hunters esports team had not decided which games it would play. Interim coach Adan Lara said it would depend on the players’ strengths.
Lara, who joined EPCC in 2016 and serves as the kinesiology lab supervisor, said he is impressed with the quality of the players, especially those who play “Overwatch.” He also is excited with those who play “Super Smash Bros.” and “Madden NFL.” He said the students have shown dedication and enthusiasm.
“I can definitely tell that they’re really hungry to show off what they can do,” Lara said.
The coach recalled his own introduction to video games with “Doom” followed by “Halo” and the James Bond-inspired “GoldenEye 007.” He participated in tournaments, but eventually transitioned from player to coach in the early 2000s. He said he could see players’ strengths and help them develop.
When he learned that EPCC planned to start an esports team, he offered to help. Faster than Halo’s Master Chief could defeat the Covenant, EPCC named him the interim coach.
The college expects its initial team to have around 26 players. EPCC has offered full scholarships to three esports players, including one woman. Each is valued at $1,632 per semester for a 12-credit, full-time student.
The college’s Board of Trustees approved in July almost $183,000 for the team’s state-of-the-art furniture, hardware and software. The initial esports space will be about 900 square feet on the first floor of the student union of the Valle Verde Campus, 919 Hunter Drive. The space will be used for practice, tournaments and streaming.
Board Chair Brian Haggerty, a long-time proponent of esports, said the initial budget to set up the program was about $150,000. He thinks it will attract students.
“It’s a no brainer,” he said during a telephone interview last week. “I think it’s going to be a winner. Everybody I’ve talked to about this said you can’t go wrong with (esports).”
Alejandro Ovalle agreed. The native El Pasoan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from UTEP last spring. He said esports played a role in his working as a software engineer for Amazon in Austin.
Ovalle, a Westsider, grew up playing video games and was a Honey Badgers member for four years.
When the Amazon interviewer asked him about his leadership skills, Ovalle described his management role with the esports team where he could deduce the pros and cons of different teammates and position them for success. Additionally, he talked about how his participation benefited his professional development to include discipline and learning from your mistakes.
“Esports was a big part of me,” Ovalle said during a phone interview. “Being able to express that, and show that, only helped me.”
Daniel Perez
Daniel Perez covers higher education for El Paso Matters, in partnership with Open Campus. He has written on military and higher education issues in El Paso for more than 30 years.
