THE ONGOING COVID-19 pandemic has limited the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) operations. In light of quarantine restrictions, the first semester sports of UAAP Season 83 have been postponed to a later date to prioritize the safety of the athletes and coaches involved.

In light of the precarious fate of traditional sports, it is timely for the UAAP to consider looking into esports as the sport of the “new normal.” In fact, it has already gained significant traction in the local sports scene in recent years. Recently, the Philippine Esports Team struck gold in three events at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games namely: Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA 2), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Starcraft II. Another collegiate league in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has also planned to include esports in its upcoming Season 96 program.

Although there is a real possibility for the UAAP to recognize esports as an official sport, the league’s board will need to follow key procedures and take several factors into account.

Contributing factors

There are several considerations that the UAAP must take into account before including a new sport in its official list of events. According to UAAP Season 82 President Em Fernandez, “The main consideration will be if the majority of the universities have current competing teams or can put up the teams.”

The impact of the new sport’s inclusion on other events’ schedules is another factor to consider. “Kakayanin pa ba ng calendar? (Will the [UAAP] calendar be able to accommodate a new sport?)” shared Fernandez.

As it stands today, no significant moves have been made to aggressively push for the inclusion of esports in the upcoming UAAP season. “The group that handled the 2019 SEA Games just made a presentation to us [UAAP board] last month [July],” he shared. Fernandez also revealed that the board had not considered esports prior to the presentation.

The UAAP board will have to collectively decide on matters that will entail major implications for the league, such as the addition of events. Regardless of the board’s current stance, adding esports to the list of official events will  entail advantages and, at the same time, pose challenges to the league.

Untapped opportunities

As e-sports continues to steadily grow, the population of local players increases⁠—in fact, several UAAP schools and universities across the country have already formed their respective esports varsity teams. These include Ateneo’s own Loyola Gaming, Oblation Esports of University of the Philippines-Diliman, iTamaraw of Far Eastern University, Teletigers of University of Santo Tomas, and Viridis Arcus of De La Salle University.

The potential inclusion of esports amid the COVID-19 pandemic is considered timely as the sport is capable of thriving in the new normal. Unlike a handful of other traditional sports that require gyms and arenas, esports tournaments can be conducted remotely. The contactless nature of esports helps mitigate the risk of contracting the COVID-19 during these times.

Aside from this, an esports tournament can also serve as a breeding ground for potential national team members in the future. This is similar to how basketball and volleyball national teams have included standout UAAP players in its pool for future international tournaments.

The potential addition of esports may then eventually become a step in the right direction for the UAAP, as esports will make the league more inclusive for students who are not inclined towards traditional sports. Additionally, the intensity, passion, and teamwork found in other UAAP sports also equally apply to esports. The numerous opportunities that the sport will bring further solidifies a strong case for its inclusion.

Obstructing hurdles

At the end of the day, the league and its member-universities will have to make a myriad of adjustments in order to accommodate the inclusion of esports.  This collaborative effort poses a challenge: Considering the member-universities’ reaction to the inclusion of esports. This is because the first step to any significant development requires a majority of the schools to buy into the idea of fielding an esports team.

The establishment of official esports varsity teams will require the universities to go through the foundational and operational processes that other traditional sports teams underwent. “Do we now recruit? Do we now get? Magpapa-tryouts ba tayo? (Are we going to hold tryouts?),” Fernandez said. “Second, do we have the facility? Who will provide for the equipment?”

The financial implications of adding a new sport is another major hurdle. “Any additional UAAP sport will entail more expenses and responsibilities for each university,” Fernandez said. These unprecedented times have already forced the universities to cut down expenses, including their sports budgets. The additional costs incurred by esports will make the inclusion more unlikely to happen soon.The emergence of esports has been undeniable and its ability to thrive amid the COVID-19 pandemic has positioned itself as a perfect addition to the UAAP. However, insufficient infrastructure and additional financial costs are major roadblocks for its potential inclusion in the league. As it stands today, collegiate gamers will have to wait a little longer before they get to see esports take part in the UAAP stage.