This past August, Michigan State made a commitment to a new and ever-expanding world of sports. No, it’s not spikeball or pickleball. It actually doesn’t involve a ball at all. MSU moved to expand its role in competitive video games. ESports.
The university hired Chris Bilski to become its first Director of ESports. Bilski, a Grand Rapids native, grew up playing video games and dove into the field professionally after college. He tried a stint in sales, and then as a journalist covering ESports, before realizing his true passion was to be fully involved in the E-Sports world. He started as a coach before transitioning to a director role at Grand Valley State From there, MSU reached out and hired Bilski because his vision for an ESports department aligned with the school’s.
Bilski’s vision also aligns with perhaps the most important group of people in ESports, the students. Dylan McCarroll, president of MSU’s ESports Club Association, and Sadeem Boji, president of MSU’s Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Club, are excited about MSU hiring a full-time faculty director devoted to ESports.
WKAR Current Sports sat down with Bilski to discuss how ESports at MSU is growing and what he envisions here.