New Pilot Program Elevates High School Esports In Minnesota

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- A new pilot program aims to increase the number of schools participating in and the visibility of a growing sport in the state. The Minnesota State High School League (MSHL) approved a one-year deal with Fenworks for a pilot season for high school esports teams.

Fenworks operates esports programs in four states, including Minnesota.

MSHL will spend the next year learning how Fenworks operates the season and how esports currently runs in the state. Fenworks' Head of Esports Jake Utities says it is the first step to getting esports on the same page as activities like Robotics and Trap-Shooting:

"It does make it more official from just a program that schools can individually support if they find value in it to one that basically all the athletic directors and the board of directors for the Minnesota State High School League have all agreed that this is a really good program for our students"

He says the immediate effect is that more kids will get supported by their schools.

Last year, over 3,000 kids participated in esports across Fenworks' four states.

The long-term goal is for MSHL and Fenworks to enter into a preferred partnership after the pilot season, with the High School League running the State Tournament in 2027-2028 while Fenworks continues to operate the league. Utities says the pilot season has already made an impact:

"The big change is now schools are going to actually pay that coach to run their program, which we found makes programs far more sustainable and successful, so a lot of kids are going to be affected positively by this decision."

Utities says it is an exciting time for esports and something they have been working towards for almost a decade. More than 80 Minnesota schools have already committed to the pilot season.