The eSports industry is taking off around the world, and this rapidly growing industry offers enormous potential for individuals with the right skills. The SMU eSports Business Management Certificate program gives you a comprehensive understanding of the eSports industry, and you will learn the nuances of revenue streams, sponsorships and fan engagement. Build the skills to initiate, plan, and execute live esports events. With curriculum in sports management and business topics, coursework is academically rigorous and industry-driven. You will learn from professionals working at the forefront of the business of competitive multiplayer gaming; through SMU’s regional and international industry partnerships, you will access some of the best and brightest leaders in every aspect of esports.
In just six months, gain critical insight into:
In the SMU Esports Business Management Certificate program, you’ll join live online class sessions for interactive discussions with your instructors and fellow students. Between class meetings, you’ll have reading, videos, activities and quizzes to complete.
Please click the Agenda tab for specific class dates and times.
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University of New Hampshire Professional Development & Training (UNH PD&T) has partnered with Southern Methodist University Continuing and Professional Education (SMU CAPE) to expand access to this exciting certificate program. Students enrolling through the UNH enrollment system will receive communication from SMU CAPE regarding course logistics one week prior to the course start date.
This certificate program is designed for game developers who want to gain business acument, passionate gamers who want to learn more about other aspects of the industry, marketing professionals, sports management professionals, event planners, broadcasters and communications professionals, and entrepreneurs.
eSports Ecosystem and Business Models | Donald Boyce
This course will help learners understand the history of eSports and current trends in new media business models, connections between traditional sports management and eSports, and eSports terminology and definitions. This course will also cover the culture of eSports, and the evolving network of relationships and stakeholders in the eSports industry.
Business Development and Revenue Strategies | David Chen
This course will teach learners to build relationships with sponsors by describing the unique value proposition provides to sponsors and brands. It will also cover business development strategy and execution, research and prospecting potential sponsors, and best practices for sponsorship proposals and presentations.
Content and Community Engagement | Jaden Shaw
Meet the publishers, streamers and users in the eSports industry! This course will introduce learners to types of streamers, emerging streaming platforms, sports media rights and dynamics, and disclusure liablity laws.
Fan Engagement and Sponsorship Activation | Josh Gabay
Learn how to use data to develop engagement and marketing strategies. This course will delve into the challenges and nuances of a globally dispersed market, as well as fan personas across different games, teams, and platforms. Learners will also understand community cultivation on different platforms, development and implementation components, and leveraging influencers, power users, and content creators.
Tournament Design and Management | David Chen
This course will study the components of tournament design and organization, including LAN vs online tournaments, variations in tournament design and organization, and viewer and fan experiences. Topics will also cover successful event timelines and project management for esports events.
eSports Team Organization, Management and Recruitment | Danny Martin
Discover how to support players and maximize their athletic performance. This course will discuss roles and organizational structures of professional eSports teams, common challenges to managing eSports teams, geographically-dispersed teams, and working with influencers.
Donald Boyce has held executive roles in gaming and esports with top teams including Team Liquid, TSM and Cloud9 over the last eight years. He has helped more than 40 brands activate in esports, built programs to encourage more direct monetization of fans, and managed more than $200 million in gaming and esports brand partnerships. He earned a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University and a Master of Philosophy from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
David Chen is the President and Founder of GTIF Capital and the North American Collegiate League (NACL), and is partnered with several major businesses in the Esports and Technology sectors. As President of the NACL, David created a strategic partnership with Fosun to bring Wolves Esports into the NACL. David has worked with Planters Peanuts on their recent Super Bowl commercial with Kai Green. He has also worked with FaZe Clan members Apex and Adapt, Charlie Sheen and Aaron Rodriguez. David sits on several boards including Mediabundance as the Head of Esports and FaZe Clan. David has been a featured esports speaker at multiple universities including UH and SMU.
Josh Gabay is a Partnerships Associate at Pixly, a digital influencer agency for brands, and the Founder of Jox Digital, an online newsletter dedicated to sharing stories and video game knowledge by casual gamers. Prior to his current works, Josh worked as Esports Manager at Abacus3, an esports startup ranging from event production to sponsorship activations, as well as co-founded the esports and casual gaming organization called Duke Gaming at his alma mater Duke University. Featured as a guest speaker in several university classes, Josh is looking forward to connecting esports leaders with fans of their favorite brands.
Danny Martin is a visionary and thought-leader in the esports industry. As the Co-founder of Esposure Inc., he has aided in the professional development of students, interns, and post-graduates. These students have received esports scholarships and employment from acclaimed universities and esports organizations like Central Methodist University, Complexity Gaming, Pacers Gaming, and Mavs Gaming. Furthermore, he has provided opportunities for many esports players to play with professional franchises. Danny's passion for helping others has allowed him to speak at several high schools and universities, on panels in front of thousands of individuals. In his pursuit of connecting everyone to esports, he maintains relationships with the NBA, NFL, & music industry. Danny is always ready to talk about esports and is on a mission of helping 20,000 esports enthusiasts by 2025.
Jaden Shaw is the Director and Co-Founder of College CoD, the premier destination for Call of Duty competition at the collegiate level, as well as ticketing operations coordinator of the Overwatch League’s Washington Justice. Jaden has over four years of experience working in esports in a variety of different positions. Jaden also founded the collegiate esports program at Liberty University. Here, he grew a group of five people into an officially recognized campus organization of more than 120 students competing in over 10 different esports titles. With both College CoD and Liberty Esports, Jaden focused on creating friendly and competitive environments for students as well as the lives of students. It is a top priority to him to have a personal relationship with students to help guide them to a future in esports.
Welcome, Orientation & Introduction
eSports Ecosystems & Business Model | Donald Boyce
Business Development & Revenue Strategies | David Chen
Content and Community Engagement | Jaden Shaw
Fan Engagement and Sponsorship Activation | Josh Gabay
Tournament Design and Management | David Chen
eSports Team Organization, Management, and Recruitment | Danny Martin
Where are these courses offered?
All courses are completely online. You never will be required to attend class on campus, and you can complete your coursework and assignments from anywhere.
What skills do I need to learn online?
Most courses require a basic level of computer skills, including the ability to send and receive email, as well as conduct research on the Internet. You should be comfortable using technology and have some foundation in design elements and principles.
What equipment do I need to enroll?
You must have a computer and a webcam.
How do students interact with instructors?
All courses are taught by instructors who provide support for students through the real-time online class meetings, online office hours, and discussion boards.
Do I need an email account for my online course?
Yes, all students taking online courses must have an email account. Email accounts may be obtained by signing up for a free account through a free internet service provider, such as Gmail, Mail.com, Yahoo! Mail or Outlook.com.
What kind of certificate do I get when I have completed the course?
Once you have completed your course, a Certificate of Completion will be issued from University of New Hampshire, Professional Development & Training.
I am located in a country outside of the United States and would like to register for a course. What do I do?
Anyone is welcome to register for our online courses. Courses are conducted in English.
Program Questions
For questions pertaining to the content of the eSports Business Management certificate, please contact Juliet Webber at juliet.webber@unh.edu or 603-862-4344. For general registration questions, please contact our main office at professional.development@unh.edu or 603-862-7380.
Who can help me if I have a technical problem with my course or materials once the course has begun?
Please contact your instructors first. SMU staff also can assist, and you can reach them at help@smu.edu or 214-768-4357.
Thank you for your interest in this course. A new date will be scheduled soon. If you would like more information, please submit your inquiry below and a staff member will reply shortly.
