International Journal of Sport Management

Work versus Play: An Examination of Motivations of Collegiate eSports Athletes

Brent D. Oja, Claire C. Zvosec, Sean Hyland, Jordan R. Bass, Jonathan Mays, Kyle Krueger, Ronald Christian, Zachary Wilkerson

Abstract: Due to the recent increase in the popularity of the phenomenon known as eSports, an examination of the motivations collegiate eSports athletes was undertaken, as they represent a population that has not yet seen substantial academic inquiry. In all, 15 collegiate eSports athletes were interviewed about their intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivations. In all, five themes were discovered. These themes included personal growth, competition, friends and comradery, scholarship money, and burnout. The results of this study are an indication that while some eSports athletes are motivated to participate on their collegiate team due to an internal love for the various games and fostering deep relationships with their teammates, some experience burnout and the subsequent negative consequences of burnout. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Keywords: college sport, eSports, burnout, motivation

Citation: Oja, B. D., Zvosec, C. C., Hyland, S., Bass, J. R., Mays, J., Krueger, K., Christian, R., & Wilkerson, Z. (2018). Work versus play: An examination of motivations of collegiate esports athletes. International Journal of Sport Management, 19(4), 361-382.

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