Syracuse esports on its way
Syracuse esports on its way
The new esports room at Schine Student Center opened on Friday, marking another milestone of Syracuse’s esports program.

The second floor of the Schine Student Center remained crowded and loud. But when people walked by, they slowed their steps, took off their earphones, stood there and stared at the podium and the ribbon in front of the glass walls.
They soon learned what was happening there: At the center of one of the busiest places on campus, Syracuse opened a new esports room.
Starting Saturday, the Schine Gaming and Esports Center will be open to all students on campus from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The 5,800-square-foot room offers 34 PCs, six console stations, two sim racers, three virtual reality simulators, an arcade area, and space for tabletop games. It will also be the home of varsity esports, featuring a stage, a production room, and another room dedicated to broadcasters.

“What this space represents to us is commitment and opportunity,” said Joey Gawrysiak, the executive director of esports. “It’s a commitment to be the best. This also represents the opportunity to really set that new standard for what esports can be going forward in higher education.”
Gabriel Goodwin, the captain of Syracuse’s Rocket League team, was one of the students who cut the ribbon and later played an exhibition game to showcase the stage. As Syracuse University’s first recruit from high school, Goodwin represents Syracuse’s commitment to esports.
“It was a really cool experience,” Goodwin said. “Everything with the program is going great so far. And next up, we’re traveling a lot this semester to different locations for different LAN tournaments. We’re going to Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, so I’m really looking forward to that.”

Arnold Hur, the CEO of the esports organization Generation Gaming (Gen.G), also attended the opening ceremony. Syracuse University recently signed a multi-year partnership with Gen.G, aiming to bolster student engagement in esports.
“I’ve done a lot of college tours,” Hur said. “Everybody is out there checking the box. When you check a box, you can only be as big as what other people think that box is. Versus here, I really see a vision of creating a new standard.”
“I think a good rule of thumb is where did they place the esports facility. I came here and the first thing I thought was, ‘Wow, this is a great location.’”

In this busy building and through the glass walls, students will notice players playing Beat Saber putting on a funny headset and their hands waving in the air. They will witness fog coming out as the 8 p.m. varsity game intensifies and the big screen flashes “Syracuse goal”. They will also see friends laughing and shouting after scoring against each other.
“What is getting built here is the community first,” said Hur. “And I think this is not just esports, but gaming in general. It’s like the future of entertainment in general, and I think that’s where this can happen.”
Hur also has high hopes for the collaboration between Syracuse University and Gen.G. “I think what we need to do is make Syracuse the number one place that international students would want to come to if they care about gaming,” he said. “Syracuse is an incredible school, but internationally, it’s not as well known. So I think that’s a good opportunity for Syracuse to also level up in terms of their reach internationally.”

The collaboration and the opening of the Schine Gaming and Esports Center all mark the steady steps Syracuse is taking to build the best esports community on campus. What students see through the glass is Syracuse’s effort to become a national esports powerhouse.
“It turned out better than I could have ever hoped,” Gawrysiak said. “I’m actually overwhelmed in the best way possible, and I’m genuinely excited to see what we can do out of the space.”