Christopher Jones created the first esports team in the United States military. Now, he’s using his experience to expand the esports program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Esports — competitive video games played for an audience — are currently valued at more than $1 billion. The industry is supported by an international community of everyone from professional players to fans who consumed about 2.76 billion hours of esports content in 2023, according to analytics company Stream Hatchet. The International Olympic Committee recently announced a plan to launch the Olympic Esports Games in 2025.
"Gaming is now just an intrinsic part of culture," said Jones, coordinator and manager at ZeroCode, an esports marketing company.
He said collegiate programs are crucial because they help create a pipeline for future players and professionals in the fast-growing gaming industry. He sees his role as a manager, coach and mentor to help students gain highly marketable skills.
"Collegiate programs are the foundation — not just for being a professional esports athlete," said Jones. "It's content creation, it’s production, it's tournament organizing, it's coaching. There's a slew of full-time paying jobs right now that need those kinds of people."
The Ragin’ Cajuns Esports team consists of about 50 students competing in about 10 different games, said Jones. However, the program extends beyond its competitive players. The group’s virtual community on the platform Discord includes about 1,800 members. Jones views this space as a potential source of growth.
“To build that network of gamers where people can gather and participate in, not just competitive esports, but gaming in general,” he said. “Without a community, you don't have esports.”
As an Army veteran, Jones discovered the popularity of gaming culture when he worked as a recruiter. He pitched the idea for the military’s first official esports program. He said the program he built now boasts more than 20,000 soldiers. The Army’s success sparked the creation of teams in the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. Jones, who was born in Baton Rouge, said he hopes to see similar momentum take off within his home state.
"Being a Louisiana native, I look forward to working with UL Lafayette to be the beacon of esports in the state of Louisiana," said Jones.
Jones said interested students and alumni can join the program’s Discord server for program news and updates.