NEXT GEN ESPORT LEADERSHIP LAB SURVEY - Esports Trade Association

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Information

Thank you for participating in the upcoming Next Gen Esports Leadership Lab. To ensure the session is valuable and addresses your specific needs, please complete this questionnaire by May 19. Your responses will help shape our discussions and ensure we focus on the most relevant challenges and opportunities.

Name

First

Last

Organization

Which best describes your role in esports?

PROGRAM PROFILE

How would you classify your esports program's current stage of development?

Which of the following elements exist in your current esports program? (Select all that apply)

Competitive teams
Dedicated physical space
Full-time staff positions
Part-time staff positions
Academic course offerings
Industry partnerships
Career development programming
Broadcast capabilities
Student leadership opportunities
Content creation program
Internship opportunities
Game development integration
Recruitment/scholarship model

What is your approximate annual budget for esports programming? (Select one)

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

What are your top 3 challenges in developing your esports program? (Select up to 3)

Securing consistent funding
Administrative buy-in
Facilities/space constraints
Technology infrastructure limitations
Student recruitment/retention
Academic integration
Staff expertise/professional development
Measuring program success/impact
Creating inclusive environments
Industry connections/partnerships
Competition structure/format
Alignment with institutional goals
Pathway development for students
Other

If other, please specify:

What metrics do you currently use to measure program success? (Select all that apply)

Competitive performance
Student participation numbers
Audience/viewership metrics
Student retention rates
Academic performance of participants
Career placement rates
Revenue generation
Institutional visibility/marketing impact
Student skill development
Industry partnership value
Diversity/inclusion metrics
Not currently using formal metrics
Other

If other, please specify:

On a scale of 1-5, how effectively does your program currently develop each of the following areas?

(1 = Not at all effective, 5 = Extremely effective)

Technical gaming skills

Selected Value: 1

Career-relevant technical skills

Selected Value: 1

Leadership capabilities

Selected Value: 1

Communication skills

Selected Value: 1

Teamwork/collaboration

Selected Value: 1

Production/broadcast skills

Selected Value: 1

Content creation capabilities

Selected Value: 1

Game design/development

Selected Value: 1

Event management

Selected Value: 1

Business/entrepreneurship

Selected Value: 1

Please describe your program's greatest success to date:

What is the most significant barrier preventing your program from reaching its full potential?

STRATEGIC FOCUS

What is your primary goal for your esports program? (Select one)

Competitive excellence/championships
Career pathway development
Student engagement/recruitment tool
Academic integration/educational outcomes
Institutional visibility/branding
Revenue generation/sustainability
Community building/social development
Industry partnership development
Other

If other, please specify:

Which stakeholders are most challenging to demonstrate value to? (Select up to 3)

Senior administration
Faculty/academic departments
Parents
Students
Board members/trustees
Community members
Industry partners
Potential sponsors/donors
Other educational institutions

What resources are most constrained in your program development? (Select up to 3)

Financial resources/budget
Physical space
Technical equipment
Staff time/availability
Staff expertise
Administrative support
Industry connections
Curriculum resources
Assessment tools/frameworks
Student leadership development
Other

If other, please specify:

How do you see your program evolving over the next 3 years?

COLLABORATION READINESS

What resources or capabilities would you be willing to share with other institutions? (Select all that apply)

Curriculum materials
Assessment frameworks
Competition structures
Technical setup guidance
Broadcast workflows
Staff development resources
Industry connection facilitation
Student leadership models
Recruitment strategies
Nothing at this time

What expertise are you hoping to gain from this think tank? (Select up to 3)

Program sustainability models
Academic integration frameworks
Career pathway development
Competition structure improvements
Broadcast/production capabilities
Industry partnership strategies
Assessment methodology
Student leadership development
Inclusive program design
Administrative advocacy approaches
Technology infrastructure planning
Other

If other, please specify:

What specific outcome would make this event most valuable for you?

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

How would you rate the overall effectiveness of current academic esports programs in preparing job-ready graduates? (Select one)

What barriers prevent your organization from deeper engagement with educational esports programs? (Select up to 3)

Misalignment with business objectives
Lack of standardization across programs
Insufficient return on investment
Limited staff resources for management
Challenge in measuring impact/outcomes
Inconsistent institutional commitment
Bureaucratic/administrative hurdles
Communication challenges
Unclear expectations/deliverables
Geographic limitations
Different timelines/planning cycles
Other

If other, please specify:

How does your organization currently engage with academic esports programs? (Select all that apply)

Recruitment/talent acquisition
Corporate social responsibility initiatives
Brand awareness/marketing
Product testing/feedback
Market research
Content creation partnerships
Technology demonstration/testing
Event sponsorship
Curriculum development
Facility development consulting
No current engagement
Other

If other, please specify:

What partnership models between education and industry have you found most effective? (Select all that apply)

Guest lecture/workshop series
Internship programs
Equipment/technology sponsorships
Mentorship programs
Curriculum co-development
Facility sharing arrangements
Joint research initiatives
Career pathway programs
Industry advisory boards
Tournament/event collaborations
Shared broadcast productions
Talent identification programs
None have been particularly effective
Other

If other, please specify:

Please describe an example of a particularly successful education-industry partnership you've observed:

On a scale of 1-5, how interested would your organization be in the following types of engagement with educational institutions?

(1 = Not at all, 5 = Very Interested)

Developing standardized curriculum

Selected Value: 1

Providing guest instructors

Selected Value: 1

Offering internship placements

Selected Value: 1

Sponsoring competitions/events

Selected Value: 1

Co-developing assessment frameworks

Selected Value: 1

Establishing talent pipeline programs

Selected Value: 1

Collaborating on research initiatives

Selected Value: 1

Providing technology/equipment

Selected Value: 1

Offering facility tours/site visits

Selected Value: 1

Creating student mentorship programs

Selected Value: 1

Participating in program advisory boards

Selected Value: 1

Which of the following would most improve the industry relevance of academic esports programs? (Select up to 3)

Industry certification integration
Standardized technical curriculum
Required internship experiences
Industry professional guest teaching
Project-based learning with real clients
Industry-designed assessment methods
Regular curriculum review by industry panels
Adoption of industry-standard equipment/software
Cross-institutional competition standards
Career-focused capstone projects
Other

If other, please specify:

What value do you see in creating industry-wide standards for academic esports programs? (Select one)

How do you view the role of scholastic esports in relation to the broader esports industry ecosystem? (Select all that apply)

Critical talent development pipeline
Important but currently disconnected system
Potential research and innovation partner
Primarily an audience development channel
Community engagement opportunity
Corporate social responsibility focus
Largely irrelevant to professional industry
Competitor for audience and resources
Other

If other, please specify:

What skills do you find most lacking in students coming from academic esports programs? (Select up to 3)

Technical proficiency
Communication skills
Project management
Leadership capabilities
Strategic thinking
Adaptability/problem-solving
Professional work habits
Industry-specific knowledge
Business acumen
Creative thinking
Production expertise
Other

If other, please specify

In which of the following specific technical areas do you see the largest skill gaps in students from academic esports programs? (Select up to 3)

Game-specific mechanical skills
Broadcast production expertise
Audio/visual technology
Content creation/editing
Data analytics/performance analysis
Event operations
Social media management
Streaming platform knowledge
Hardware/networking infrastructure
Game engine/development tools
Tournament administration
Other

If other, please specify

What could educational institutions do to better prepare students for careers in your sector?

If you could redesign academic esports programs from the ground up to better serve industry needs, what would be your top 3 recommendations?

Is there anything else you would like to share about the relationship between academic esports programs and industry needs?

Student Experience

Which aspects of your esports program have been most valuable for your development? (Select up to 3)

Competition participation
Leadership opportunities
Broadcast/production experience
Content creation
Event management
Industry networking
Academic coursework
Team collaboration
Mentorship
Other
Technical skill development

If other, please specify:

How well has your esports program prepared you for future career opportunities?

What gaps do you see between your educational esports experience and industry expectations?

What opportunities do you wish existed in your current program?

Is there anything specific you'd like to address during the think tank that wasn't covered in this questionnaire?

Would you be willing to share any relevant materials about your program in advance (program structure, assessment frameworks, etc.)?

Yes (we'll follow up with submission details)
No
Maybe