Columbia College takes second place in the tournament. From left are en Lane, Case Vondohlen, Eric Garcia, Daniel Messenger and Kevin Brooks.

Text and Photos
By Shari Benyousky
Guest Columnist

WEESTVILLE — Imagine a stadium packed with cheering fans, not for football or basketball, but for virtual players battling online. Welcome to the high-energy world of esports, where strategy, skill and split-second decisions create thrilling competitions.

The Midwest Clash esports tournament recently drew Midwestern colleges and universities with NCAA esports teams in five online games to Purdue NW, attracting over 600 people to Westville and Warsaw had a winner.

The Local Guy

Daniel Messenger gets a professional headshot at the tournament.

Local esports League of Legends gamer Daniel Messenger, aka Fulminata, plays on a scholarship with Columbia College, Mo., while pursuing a master’s degree. He remembers his mom warning him in high school about the game’s lack of transferable skills. That “mom” was me. Back then, the game provided Daniel a break from the stress of honors classes and running cross country. Now, things have switched. The game has created a different kind of athletic community, and Daniel runs for a break from training for the online game.

Get Up To Speed

If you haven’t been paying attention, online gaming might seem like the domain of teenagers in basements. But esports tournaments are now part of NCAA Sports in many colleges and universities, captivating audiences of all ages and rivaling the fans of traditional sports. From million-dollar prizes to international fame, competitive gaming has become a global sensation.

For example, Daniel’s team took second place in their League of Legends conference earning a trophy, medals, and the chance to win more in the real spring esports season. So, what was the experience like for Daniel’s team and what did they gain?

Professional Skills

Midwest Clash Unified Director John Long from Texas.

Daniel and his team arrived at the James B. Dworkin Student Services Venue with a detailed itinerary, including professional headshots and individual interviews on Twitch. They wore matching uniforms and carried matching backpacks. From the outside, they looked just like any other collegiate sports team. And indeed, you can find their roster in the sports section of Columbia College.

Just like other teams, esports teams focus on physical training, memorizing game mechanics, making split-second decisions, eating high-quality foods and exercising regularly. One player explained it to me this way, “In esports, there is the parallel of a more intense physical energy, but that energy focuses inward more than outward.”

The Midwest Clash competition was set up in the enormous basketball arena and the sounds felt similar. There was a lot of cheering, clapping and high energy. The Cornell team wore dunce caps, another barked like dogs. I heard friendly taunting and saw lots of high-five support. A winning team would get up from their computers and walk over to greet the team they beat.

The players and spectators know each other online with colorful names. I saw Legend, Acolyte, Carnage, Mollythemaster, Banzai, Leswin, Samba, Fatcat, Cursed Knight, Nferno, Vondo, Artic Myths, Dramaticsaber, Fulminata, Pengu and Cezarito. But at a live tournament, the players get to meet the live person behind the character. I saw the beginning of many new friendships.

Esports specialist Johnny Weaver from Oklahoma.

Over two jam-packed days, Daniel’s League Team played through three stages to reach their second-place spot: the Swiss stage with randomly seeded teams, the Double Elimination Stage, and the Finals and Grand Finals Stage.

Who Watches?

Why would anyone watch others play video games? For many, it’s the same reason people love watching sports: the drama, strategy and skill. Esports athletes train for hours daily, refining their reflexes and tactics. Whether it’s League of Legends or Super Smash Bros., these tournaments are about teamwork and mental agility.

Warsaw native Daniel Messenger reminded me that League of Legends is a worldwide phenomenon. The 2024 League of Legends World Championship in Europe between Korea and China broke records with 6.9 million viewers.

Why Do They Do It?

Midwest Class trophy and medal table.

The stakes are real. There’s even an Esports Hall of Fame. Top players can earn six-figure salaries, while championship tournaments boast prize pools rivaling traditional sports. In 2019, the Fortnite World Cup awarded $3 million to its solo champion, and many other players earn excellent salaries by running tournaments, selling merchandise, streaming games and gathering audiences on YouTube. The off-season Midwest Clash prize was $2,500 although Director John Long told me that he has seen sponsored tournaments offer prize money up to $10,000 for a winning team.

Another interesting benefit is the way smaller schools can compete with those with larger populations. As esports specialist Johnny Weaver told me, “It’s not about strength, but about skill. The little guys can compete with the big schools in this arena and it’s awesome to see.”

The Logistics

The Midwest Clash is an off-season tournament intended to keep players in good form for the real spring season. Unified Director John Long from Texas travels across the U.S. to run tournaments with esports specialist Johnny Weaver from Oklahoma.

A Rocket League player helps explain League of Legends to parents watching.

Weaver told me, “It’s like a nerdfest. These are my people and I love doing this. I love the passion and the giving spirit. Everybody wants to help everybody else.” Indeed, I saw teams loaning each other equipment and teaching each other tips about characters and game development.

Twenty-two colleges and universities, some with multiple teams, were represented at the Midwest Clash, with some traveling 10 hours by car. Long and Weaver head next to Virginia to run the Mid-Atlantic tournament. Fees for the tournament run up to $2,500 per school depending on the number of titles entered. This was Columbia College’s first entry in the Midwest Clash. Their two teams, League of Legends and Valorant, traveled together for seven hours to arrive.

Benefits To The Community

Even if you’ve never picked up a controller, it should now be obvious that esports is about connection and competition. Tournaments bring in money to the community as teams book hotels and buy lots of local food. It’s a thing that’s here to stay, so why not check out a match online?

Why not check out a match online? You can find many of them at Riot Games here. You might find yourself rooting for a team — or even learning something new about this exciting frontier of entertainment. After all, it’s never too late to discover something exciting.

Know of an interesting place, board, event, nonprofit, or person that you’d like to see featured behind the scenes someday? Send SB Communications LLC an email at [email protected].