McCallie is home to reigning high school state champions in cross country, football, tennis, soccer and swimming, but a lesser-known Blue Tornado team is excelling in a comparatively new and increasingly popular form of competition and entertainment.
Electronic sports, commonly known as esports, are multiplayer video game competitions – between individuals or teams – that have grown in their organization and visibility this century. The technology consulting firm Activate estimates esports will have more viewers than every professional sports league but the NFL by 2021.
This is the second school year for esports at McCallie, and the team of six mentored by Caleb Bagby – a member of the computer science department, he is the school’s director of technology, engineering and design – reached impressive heights this past winter. In a field of more than 600 teams playing “Overwatch,” one of the most popular first-person shooter video games in the world, McCallie finished sixth at the championship for the High School Esports League, which bills itself as the largest high school league in the nation.
“Overwatch” has its own league and world championship event for professional players, and the game’s developer, Blizzard Entertainment, partnered with Disney in 2018 to televise competitions on its channels, including ABC and ESPN.
With nearly 45 million players, “Overwatch” has allowed McCallie students to find a competitive niche that is far from small. It’s one that could certainly grow even more during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in many governments issuing orders restricting movement and leading to more time at home for many people.