On Tuesday, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association board approved having staff move forward on bringing esports to high schools.
NIAA executive director Bart Thompson said he has been approached by a couple different technology companies interested in bringing esports (video games) to Nevada.
Thompson said the companies would be in charge of most facets of esports. He said students would pay a fee, likely around $50, to be on their high school team. A portion of that fee would go to the NIAA with the technology company getting the rest.
He said esports do not require travel and they could bring a lot of revenue to the NIAA. A state championship would be held in a central location.
Thompson said the technology companies have said they would build computer labs for the participating high schools.
He said one of his main goals when becoming the executive director of the NIAA in 2015 was to get more students involved in high school activities and that esports are a good way to help achieve that.
It was not clear if esports would fall under the athletics or activities label of the NIAA.
The NIAA staff will research esports further with the possibility they could be sanctioned in about a year.
See more about the NIAA board meeting at the Reno Gazette-Journal.
