<p>The rapid expansion of esports—organized, multiplayer video game competitions—is an area of profound interest for Dr. Jason Chung. Dr. Chung is a clinical assistant professor at the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/preston-robert-tisch-institute-for-global-sport.html" title="NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport">NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport</a> and spearheads the school's academic program in esports and gaming as director of the esports and gaming initiative. </p>
<p>After serving as a visiting professor at Tisch in 2019, he returned to NYU SPS in August 2022. In between, he led the University of New Haven's esports and gaming curricula, building the first master's program in the esports business in North America.</p>
<p>A lawyer with common and civil law degrees from the McGill University Faculty of Law, Chung also leads the Esports Practice Group at the law firm Zuber Lawler LLP, focusing on transactions and regulatory matters relating to esports, virtual reality, AI, and data privacy.</p>
<p>We were excited to chat with Chung about all things esports, how he has contributed to the sports business curriculum, and more.</p>
Where Sports and technology Meet
<p>As the world's largest entertainment sector, with nearly 3.2 billion gamers and projected revenues of nearly $200 billion worldwide, video gaming and esports represent a frontier for fresh growth in the sports arena. With younger audiences gravitating to competition in all forms, physical as well as digital, esports may well represent the future of broadcast sporting competition. "For our students, the more they understand the ecosystem sustaining this culture, the more prepared they'll be to navigate this space—for their employers or their own endeavors," says Chung.</p>
<p>For Chung, another truly rewarding part of esports and gaming is its necessary nexus with technology. As a tech enthusiast, he's deeply excited about the evolution of platforms that integrate AR/VR into contemporary gaming platforms and the metaverse. "I'm fascinated by the question of how constructs such as the metaverse will manifest themselves—unlike the world wide web, will someone like Mark Zuckerberg actually create and own the 'metaverse' as we know it?," he asks. This is just one of the many questions that Chung and his NYU colleagues are grappling with as they explore what could be on the horizon for esports, gaming, media, and technology.</p>
Students to Lead the Future of Gaming
<p>Chung has taken his genuine curiosity and passion for esports to the classroom. The esports and gaming initiative at NYU SPS will give students a holistic examination of the ecosystem from a business perspective, with cutting-edge curricula, industry engagement, and experiences necessary to truly engage with the subject matter. </p>
We are in discussions with major endemic and non-endemic brands about bringing in industry leaders for project-based courses. The goal is to foster leaders who can thoughtfully shape the future of esports and gaming from various entry points—from publishers to esports organizations to major sponsors—and to be the collaborative hub of applied business education with regards to the gaming industry."
<p>Chung is one of many NYU SPS professors who are working hard to bring real-time industry updates to the program, and we can't wait to see where students will take their knowledge after they graduate.</p>
What's Next for Esports?
<p>As for the future of esports, Chung says he's laser-focused on helping develop future leaders who will mature the esports and gaming ecosystem and marketplace. "The future of esports is bright, but to reach its full potential as a major mainstream spectator sport, there will be many challenges to overcome in domains such as global governance, media rights, league-athlete relations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion," he reflects. Chung intends to be there, providing the industry with the knowledge and talent necessary to tackle such challenges head on.</p>
<p>Chung often writes and speaks about the intersection of esports, technology, and health, including esports governance, data privacy, and AI regulation. His interdisciplinary approach to understanding esports stems from his diverse international background in law, business, and public policy. He is the co-host of a new videocast, <a href="https://virtualtimes.com/what-the-meta/" title="What the Meta!">What the Meta!</a>, and is currently working on several writing projects looking at the future of entertainment and technology.</p>
<p>When you explore an <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-sports-business.html" title="MS in Sports Business">MS in Sports Business</a>, you could throw your hat in the ring to shape the future of esports and gaming. </p>